the industrial eater: an exploration into … exploration into the underlying values motivating...

THE INDUSTRIAL EATER:

AN EXPLORATION INTO THE UNDERLYING VALUES MOTIVATING

AMERICAN FAST FOOD CONSUMPTION

A Thesis

Presented to

The Honors Tutorial College

Ohio University

In Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for Graduation

from the Honors Tutorial College

with the Degree of

Bachelor of Business Administration

by

Jordan L. Templeton

June 2010

This thesis has been approved by

The Honors Tutorial College and the Department of Business Administration

Dr. Jane Sojka

Professor, Marketing

Thesis Advisor

Dr. Raymond Frost

Professor, Management Information Systems

Honors Tutorial College Director of Studies, Business Administration

Dr. Jeremy Webster

Dean, Honors Tutorial College

i

Table of Contents

Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 1

The Link between Fast Food & Industrial Agriculture ................................................... 2

Fast Food and Expanding Waste Lines ....................................................................... 4

Changing Family Structure and Increased Reliance on Fast Food ......................... 6

Increased Availability and Affordability of Fast Food ........................................... 6

Increased Portion Sizes ........................................................................................... 9

Child Targeted and Misleading Food Advertisements ......................................... 11

Increased Sedentary Lifestyles ............................................................................. 12

The Negative Consequences of Industrial Agriculture ............................................. 12

Industrial Agriculture Threatening Worker, Consumer, and Animal Health ....... 14

Industrial Agriculture & Environment Degradation ............................................. 16

Culture & Food ............................................................................................................. 17

Research Method .......................................................................................................... 19

Grounded Theory ...................................................................................................... 20

Laddering & Means-end Chain Analysis .................................................................. 21

Sample & Data Collection ........................................................................................ 24

Procedure .................................................................................................................. 25

Analysis and Results ..................................................................................................... 28

Tentative Conclusions ................................................................................................... 37

Proposition 1 ............................................................................................................. 38

Proposition 2 ............................................................................................................. 40

Societal Implications ..................................................................................................... 40

Limitations .................................................................................................................... 42

Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 43

References ..................................................................................................................... 44

Appendix A: Key Definitions ....................................................................................... 49

Endnotes .................................................................................................................... 50

Appendix B: Initial Interview Outline .......................................................................... 52

Appendix C: Stated Values Questionnaire ................................................................... 54

ii

Appendix D: Revised Interview Outline....................................................................... 56

Appendix E: Transcribed Interviews ............................................................................ 58

Appendix F: Characteristics of Fast Food Consequences........................................... 101

Appendix G: Numerically Formatted Ladders ........................................................... 103

iii

List of Tables

Table 1: Average Calories in Foods in 1983-4 vs. 2003-4 ........................................... 10

Table 2: Interview Example .......................................................................................... 27

Table 3: Fast Food A/C/V Characteristics .................................................................... 30

Table 4: Linkages between Fast Food Attributes, Consequences, and Values ............. 31

List of Figures

Figure 1: U.S. Obesity Trends ........................................................................................ 5

Figure 2: Federal Food Subsidies and Nutrition Recommendations .............................. 9

Figure 3: Example Ladder ............................................................................................ 22

Figure 4: Hypothetical Hierarchical Value Map ........................................................... 23

Figure 5: Fast Food Value Map .................................................................................... 33

Figure 6: Most Significant Means-end Chain ............................................................... 34

The Industrial Eater 1

Introduction

America is one of the wealthiest and most innovative nations in the world, but

its population is also the most obese and out of touch with how their food is produced.

With an always on-the-go lifestyle, Americans typically opt for quick and convenient

fast food options that are comprised mainly of saturated fats, refined carbohydrates,

sodium, and sugar (Earth 2010). Given the energy density of fast food and the option

to ―biggie size‖ pretty much anything, it is no surprise that regular fast food

consumption is linked to obesity and other diet related health problems. With nearly

two out of every three adult Americans overweight or obese, and today’s youngest

generation of children estimated to be the first to live a shorter life than their parents

because of diet-related health problems (Revolution 2010), it is necessary to critically

examine Americans’ relationship to food and the American fast food culture.

In addition to the health problems associated with fast food consumption, food

produced to be sold in fast food restaurants contributes to environmental degradation

(Horrigan 2002) and the perpetuation of social injustices (Vandana 1991). Yet,

between 1970 and 2001 consumer fast food purchases experienced a 1,733 percent

increase, from $6 billion spent on fast food in 1970 to $110 billion in 2001

(Scholosser 2002). Fast food has become so integrated into American society that

about a quarter of the American population eats fast food every day, McDonald’s

golden arches are more recognizable than the Christian cross, and fast food restaurants

employ the largest number of minimum wage workers (Scholosser 2002).


Assuming consumers know fast food is bad for their health, one may suspect

that there are underlying reasons motivating consumers to consistently eat fast food

despite the negative consequences of a fast food diet. This research aims to uncover

those underlying motivations by using a grounded theory research method and

laddering interview technique to explore the relationship between Americans’ fast

food habits and their core values. The remainder of the paper is organized into eight

sections. The first section explains the connection between fast food and industrial

agriculture; as well as the health, social, and environmental problems associated with

fast food consumption and industrial food production. The second section discusses

the impact of culture on the formation of food habits. The remaining six sections

outline the research method, analysis and results, tentative conclusions, societal

implications, limitations, and concluding remarks.

The Link between Fast Food & Industrial Agriculture

In order to understand the influence that the fast food industry exerts over both

food consumption and production, it is necessary to establish the connection between

the fast food industry and industrial agriculture. Today’s fast food empire can trace its

roots back to the humble beginnings of hot dog carts and hamburger stands that

popped up along the roads of Southern California in the late 1930s and early1940s.

These roadside food stands, and the larger drive-up restaurants that followed, were

started by hardworking self-made entrepreneurs that were looking for their piece of

the American pie (Schlosser 2002). Around the same time that food served fast and


eating out became popular, business and agricultural leaders were recommending that

farmers employ industrial principles- timeliness of operations, large-scale production

sites, mechanization, standardization of product, specialization, speed of throughput,

and the routinization of the workforce- to food production (Fitzgerald 2003). Fast

food and industrial agriculture therefore coevolved, and when fast food restaurants

were looking for quicker and cheaper ways to prepare and serve food, industrial

agriculture was there to provide the inputs and technological innovations that would

allow fast food restaurants to continually serve food faster and cheaper. See Appendix

A for definitions of fast food and industrial agriculture.

Industrial agriculture may have enabled fast food restaurants to evolve into

global fast food franchises that serve a double cheeseburger for just $1.00; but

industrial agriculture is as dependent on fast food restaurants as fast food restaurants

are dependent on industrial agriculture. McDonald’s is now the largest purchaser of

beef, pork and potatoes, and the second largest purchaser of chicken in the United

States, giving it significant purchasing power (Schlosser 2002). This purchasing

power, according to Eric Schlosser, resulted in fundamental changes in how cattle are

raised, processed, and slaughtered. ―Fast food chains,‖ Schlosser asserts, ―now stand

atop a huge food-industrial complex that has gained control of American agriculture

(Schlosser 2002).‖ The problem with this is that fast food restaurants and industrial

food producers put profits ahead of consumer health, farmers’ well-being, workers’

rights, and the environment (Inc. 2009). The following subsections discuss problems


associated with fast food and industrial agriculture that if left unaddressed will have

substantial adverse health, social, and environmental consequences.

Fast Food and Expanding Waste Lines

Given the energy density of fast food and the option to ―biggie size‖ pretty

much anything, it is no surprise that regular fast food consumption is linked to obesity

and other health problems. Today, four of the top ten causes of death in the US -

coronary heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and cancer - have well-established links to

diet (Pollan 2008). Obesity, after smoking, is the number one cause of cancer, and is

linked to 70 percent of heart disease cases. Additionally, 80 percent of type II diabetes

diagnoses are related to being overweight (CDC 2006). See Appendix A for

definitions of overweight and obese reported by the Center for Disease Control and

Prevention.

In 2009, 68 percent of Americans were diagnosed as overweight or obese

(CDC 2010), accounting for nearly 10 percent, or $147 billion, of U.S. health care

spending annually (CDC 2009). This, however, has not always been the case. Based

on data from Figure 1 the percentage increase of overweight and obese Americans

from 1976-80 to 1999-00 was roughly 36 percent.


Figure 1: U.S. Obesity Trends

Source: Center for Disease Control and Prevention

*NHNES stands for National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

The greatest increase occurred in the obese group, with the number of obese

Americans doubling between 1976-80 and 1999-00. Obesity rates have also increased

among children. In 2007-08 an estimated 17 percent of children and adolescents age 2-

19 years were obese. Being overweight or obese as a child significantly increases the

chances of being obese as an adult. One study found that 80 percent of overweight

children ages 10-15 were obese by age 25 (CDC, Childhood Overweight and Obese

2010).

The increasing number of overweight and obese Americans may be attributed

to a variety of factors, which together resulted in increased consumption of unhealthy

foods, overeating, and physical inactivity. Those factors include changing family

structures, cheaper and more accessible fast and processed food, larger food portions,

fast food advertising, and lifestyle changes.


Changing Family Structure and Increased Reliance on Fast Food

Before 1970, most American women were not employed outside the home.

However, since then more women have enrolled in college and entered the workforce,

altering the traditional family structure (Fieldhouse 1986). With an increasing number

of women holding full time jobs, the number of meals prepared at home and eaten as a

family declined. Correspondingly, the number of meals eaten individually and outside

the home increased (Fieldhouse 1986). In 2005, it was estimated that the average

American ate out at least once a day (Farner 2005). Additionally, because set meal

times have declined, daily snacking has increased significantly. Sociologists that study

eating habits have found that in addition to the three main meals of the day- breakfast,

lunch, and dinner- constant snacking and sipping takes place all day long (Pollan, The

Omnivore's Dilemma 2006).

Increased Availability and Affordability of Fast Food

With more meals eaten outside the home the nutritional quality of food

consumed declined. A study by researchers from Children's Hospital Boston, the

Agricultural Research Service of the USDA, and Harvard School of Public Health

found that children who ate fast food consumed more total and saturated fat, more

total carbohydrates and added sugars, less dietary fiber, and more calories per gram of

solid food than children who did not eat fast food (Andrews 2004). Thirty percent of

the children surveyed ate fast food at least once a day, and on average consumed 187

more calories than children that did not consume fast food. These additional calories


could lead to an estimated six pounds in weight gain a year. Furthermore, the typical

fast food meal has a high glycemic index, which refers to the rise in blood glucose

after consumption of foods high in refined starch and added sugars. Studies suggest

that foods high on the glycemic index actually increase hunger and thus food

consumption over the course of a day. Foods low on the glycemic index- fruits, whole

grains, and non-starchy vegetables- have higher amounts of fiber and complex

carbohydrates and fewer calories. These foods are found to promote a feeling of

fullness, which may protect against overeating (Andrews 2004).

Foods low on the glycemic index; however, are often more expensive than

foods high on the glycemic index, largely due to government policy. Processed foods

sold in fast food restaurants and grocery stores are less expensive than fresh produce

and whole grains because the US government heavily subsidizes the production of

corn and soybeans, which are the main building blocks for processed food. Corn and

soybeans are subsidized in the form of cheap chemical fertilizers and pesticides, but

also through government policy which drives down the price of the two commodities

at the expense of farmers. Today the cost of producing a bushel of corn is double what

it can be sold for on the market (Pollan, The Omnivore's Dilemma 2006).

So, against economic logic why do farmers continue to produce excessive

amounts of corn and soybeans? Government policy implemented by Earl Butz- the

head of the Department of Agriculture during the Nixon Administration- replaced

New Deal agricultural policies that supported farmers through price supports with a

new system of direct payments to farmers. This system encouraged farmers to produce


corn and soybeans regardless of the market price because the government would make

up the difference (or at least some of the difference) and store the surplus of corn. Butz

also encouraged farmers to ―get big or get out,‖ because he believed big farms were

more productive. As a result, mega-farms formed and forced small family farms out of

business. These mega-farms began mass-producing crops and livestock, providing the

raw materials from which cheap processed foods were developed (Pollan, The

Omnivore's Dilemma 2006).

Today, the average American indirectly consumes one ton of corn a year in the

form of processed foods and grain-fed meats. By breaking corn and soybeans down

into their chemical components, food processors are able to reassemble the chemical

components into a variety of industrially produced cheap substitutes for real foods

(Pollan, The Omnivore's Dilemma 2006). Margarine (which is one molecule away

from being plastic) was developed as a cheap butter substitute, fruit juice drinks (that

contain no real fruit juice) like tang to replace real fruit drinks, Cheeze Whiz as a

cheese substitute, and Cool Whip to replace whipped cream. These industrially

developed processed foods are low in nutritional value; but are cheap to produce

because of government subsidies, are profitable for food processers, and are heavily

marketed to consumers. Consequently, the most nutritious and freshest foods are more

expensive than processed food, which is what most fast food is. Figure 2 shows

federal subsidies for food production vs. federal daily nutrition recommendations for a

healthy diet.


Figure 2: Federal Food Subsidies and Nutrition Recommendations

Source: Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine,

http://www.pcrm.org/magazine/gm07autumn/health_pork.html

As shown in the figure, federal food subsidies are incongruent with nutrition

recommendations. Vegetables and fruits, which are essential for a healthy diet, receive

less than one percent of federal food subsidies. Meat and dairy, however, receive

73.80 percent of government food subsidies. By heavily subsidizing meat and dairy

products the government is supporting the production of foods that contribute to

increasing rates of obesity and chronic diseases (PCRM 2007).

Increased Portion Sizes

Another factor contributing to increased obesity and diet-related diseases in the

US is increased portion sizes. Twenty years ago a fast food cheeseburger had on

average 333 calories. Today the average fast food cheeseburger has 590 calories


(Health 2004). Table 1 shows the average number of calories in foods 20 years ago

compared to the same foods today.

Table 1: Average Calories in Foods in 1983-4 vs. 2003-4

Food Calories 1983-4 Calories 2003-4 Increase

2 Slices Pepperoni Pizza 500 850 +350

Chicken Cesar Salad 390 790 +400

Bagel 140 350 +210

Chicken Stir Fry 435 865 +430

Chocolate Chip Cookie 55 275 +220

Cheese Cake 260 640 +380

Popcorn 270 630 +360

Blueberry Muffin 210 500 +310

Soda 85 250 +165

French Fries 210 610 +400

Turkey Sandwich 320 820 +500 Source: National Institute of Health Portion Distortion Interactive Quiz

As evidenced in the chart portion sizes have increased substantially since the

1980s. Twenty years ago the average french fry was 2.4 ounces with 210 calories.

Today it is 6.9 ounces with 610 calories. The average sized soda twenty years ago was

6.5 ounces with 85 calories. Today it is 20 ounces with 250 calories. One explanation

for increased portion sizes is the food industry’s1 strategy to increase revenues by

getting consumers to buy and eat more food. Challenged by the conundrum of ―the

fixed stomach,‖ the food industry developed products and menu items to appeal to the

American fixation with size and quantity. For example, researchers found that

consumers were embarrassed to purchase two or three orders of french fries in one

sitting because it appeared overindulgent and was socially frowned upon. However, if

they could purchase one large order of french fries they would. And so the option to

1 The term ―food industry‖ refers to the complex system that is responsible for researching, financing,

regulating, producing, processing, manufacturing, distributing, and retailing the majority of food

consumed globally (Pollan, The Omnivore's Dilemma 2006).


―Biggie Size‖ was born and standard menu sizes increased (Pollan, In Defense of

Food 2008).

Child Targeted and Misleading Food Advertisements

In addition to marketing large portion sizes at an affordable price, the fast food

industry aggressively targets children with multi-million dollar advertising campaigns.

Partly due to these advertising campaigns, fast food consumption among children has

increased fivefold since 1970, with an estimated one-third of children ages 4 - 19 now

eating fast food every day (Andrews 2004).

Furthermore, fast food advertisements are often misleading with regards to the

nutritional qualities of products. For example, to appeal to consumers seeking

healthier options McDonald’s revamped their menu to include salads and wraps, and

then marketed them as healthy options. These fast food options, however, can pack a

surprising number of calories. Their Asian salad with crispy (fried) chicken and

regular dressing is 580 calories and provides over half the recommended daily fat

intake (Affairs 2008).

Additionally, with the development of nutritionism- the ideology that the

nutritional value of food can be measured by the value of its individual components-

the food industry began marketing foods that as a whole are unhealthy, as healthy

products because they have some valuable nutrients. For example, Kellogg’s

advertises Fruit Loops ® as a good source of fiber (Kellogg's, Fiber and Your Kids'

Health 2010). However, the number one ingredient in Fruit Loops ® is sugar


(Kellogg's, Kellogg's® Froot Loops® cereal 2010), suggesting that it is not actually a

nutritionally-balanced breakfast option.

Increased Sedentary Lifestyles

Lifestyle changes also contributed to weight gain. For example, American jobs

are more sedentary and less physically demanding than in the past, decreasing daily

physical activity. Additionally, American dependence on automobiles has increased

with urban sprawl, decreasing the amount of daily walking and biking (Fieldhouse

1986). These lifestyle changes combined with increased fast food consumption have

led to an increasingly inactive and unhealthy society.

The negative health effects of a fast food and processed food diet coupled with

more sedentary lifestyles poses a significant threat to the health of the nation, but the

negative consequences of fast food and its production do not stop there. Industrial

agriculture has also introduced a number of negative health, social, and environmental

consequences that are not factored into the cost of production, and are suggested to

outweigh the benefits of producing food industrially (Pollan, The Omnivore's

Dilemma 2006).

The Negative Consequences of Industrial Agriculture

In the past, one farm typically grew a variety of crops and raised horses, cows,

chickens and hogs. Crops were rotated to preserve soil quality and manure from

livestock was used to fertilize soil (Pollan, The Omnivore's Dilemma 2006). Farmers


relied on natural processes to grow and raise food. However, in 1947 a large World

War II munitions plant in Muscle Shoals, Alabama switched from making war

explosives to making chemical fertilizers. It was an easy transition because

ammonium nitrate, the main ingredient used to make explosives, is also found to be a

good source of nitrogen for plants.

The introduction of chemical fertilizers coupled with soaring corn prices in the

1950s encouraged farmers to plant more corn. In turn, the growing surplus of corn

made it more economical to raise corn-fed livestock in factory farms because corn was

cheap and abundant, farm space was finite, and cow manure was no longer needed to

fertilize crops (Pollan, The Omnivore's Dilemma 2006). The result is what today we

call a concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO). CAFOSs are typically used to

raise cows, pigs, chickens and turkeys, but CAFOs have also been used to raise sheep,

goats, rabbits, and various types of poultry (Table 2009).

Animals raised in CAFOs are packed into confined areas, where they stand in

their own waste, are fed as much corn mixture as they can eat, and are pumped full of

antibiotics to keep them from getting sick under unhealthy living conditions. This

system of food production makes economic sense, but biologically and ecologically it

is absurd. For example, chickens raised using the industrial model were genetically

reengineered to grow twice as big in half the time that it took a typical chicken 100

years ago to grow. But, their heart and lungs often do not develop fast enough to

support the rapid growth of their bodies and they can die from congestive heart failure.

The birds that do survive may only be able take a few steps at a time because their legs


cannot support the abnormal weight of their bodies (Sanctuary 2009). For reasons like

these CAFOs have been accused of treating animals inhumanely, but their production

methods have also introduced a variety of new health, social, and environmental

problems (Pollan, The Omnivore's Dilemma 2006).

Industrial Agriculture Threatening Worker, Consumer, and Animal Health

The sheer number of animals raised in CAFOs, and the speed at which they are

processed, makes it difficult to maintain sanitary living conditions for the animals and

working conditions for laborers. As a result, factory farming has introduced multiple

pathogens into the food system, with over a dozen new foodborne illnesses discovered

in the last twenty years (Scholosser 2002).

E. coli 0157:H7 is a foodborne pathogen that has been increasingly spread

from factory farming. It is most commonly contracted by consuming undercooked

ground beef contaminated by animal manure; but people may also contract it by

drinking contaminated water, swimming in a contaminated lake, through contact with

a contaminated person, or by eating other foods that have been contaminated by cattle

manure.

The spread of E. coli 0157:H7 has increased because CAFOs raise animals in

close vicinity to pools of manure and feed them a combination of cheap grain and

livestock wastes. Restrictions were placed on feeding livestock wastes to animals after

the outbreak of Mad Cow Disease, but current FDA regulations still permit dead

horses, pigs and chickens to be mixed into cattle feed; and cattle remains to be mixed


into chicken feed (Scholosser 2002). Cattle, however, are herbivores and are not

biologically designed to eat meat or grains. They are therefore being bred to tolerate a

diet of grain and animal wastes, but a significant amount of antibiotics are required to

keep them alive (Pollan, The Omnivore's Dilemma 2006).

The working conditions for laborers on factory farms are no better. The air

workers breathe is often contaminated by harmful gases - hydrogen sulfide, ammonia,

carbon dioxide, and methane- produced from decomposing manure that is stored in

giant pits beneath where the animals are housed. Additionally, CAFOs have a high

concentration of hazardous dust and other irritants known as endotoxins. Chronic

exposure to endotoxins is associated with respiratory and cardiological problems. An

estimated 70 percent of workers at CAFOs have acute bronchitis once a year and 25

percent experience chronic bronchitis (Table 2009). These workers, however, may

have it better than meatpackers. The injury rates in slaughterhouses are three times

higher than rates in a typical American factory, making meatpacking, which is often

done by minorities, the most dangerous job in America (Scholosser 2002).

Farm laborers that work with chemical pesticides and fertilizers also face

health problems. Chemical pesticides are designed to be toxic to living organisms, and

as a result are usually toxic to humans as well. Farm laborers exposed to chemical

pesticides risk developing a number of chronic health problems including neurological

effects, cancer, reproductive and developmental toxicity, and endocrine disruption

(NRDC 1998).


Industrial Agriculture & Environment Degradation

In addition to chemical pesticides and fertilizers harming human health, they

are also harmful to the environment. The main contributor to the Dead Zone - a large

region of water in the Gulf of Mexico that has very low oxygen levels and therefore

cannot support aquatic life - is thought to be from nitrogen that runs off croplands into

the Mississippi River and its tributaries. Nitrogen runoff is the result of excessive

amounts of chemical fertilizers applied to crops. Not only does it pollute water

supplies, but it can lead to less biodiversity on fertilized plots of land and its

surrounding areas. Furthermore, the use of chemical pesticides on crops has resulted in

a decline in bird and beneficial insect populations (Horrigan 2002).

Industrial agriculture increased food supplies and drove down the cost of food,

but the problems it introduced are not factored into the cost of production. As a result,

consumers do not pay the true cost of the food they buy at the grocery store or in a fast

food restaurant. The costs that are not covered, like the cost of cleaning waterways

contaminated by chemical fertilizers, then become a problem for society to address.

The fast food industry perpetuates many of these problems, as it exerts

considerable influence over food production. Furthermore, fast food consumption

contributes to a variety of health problems, placing an additional burden on society

through the rising cost of health care. Given the health problems associated with

eating fast food, and the negative consequences of industrial agriculture, why do

Americans continue to consume excessive amounts of fast food? To better understand

why fast food is such an integral part of American society it is necessary to look at


American food habits from a cultural perspective, as ―diet is best understood within

the context of culture (Kittler 2001).‖

Culture & Food

Culture is broadly defined by Kittler and Sucher (2001) as ―the values, beliefs,

attitudes, and practices accepted by a community of individuals.‖ Culture is a learned

experience, passed down from one generation to another, but it is also dynamic. The

culture of one generation is never exactly the same as the culture of the generation that

preceded it. While core values and traditions often remain a fundamental part of a

culture, the ways in which they are applied to everyday life evolve over time

(Fieldhouse 1986). For example, in the past, the cultural value ―belongingness‖ was

predominately satisfied through face-to-face communication with friends and family.

Today, however, that value is increasingly met through technological communication

via telephone conversations, text messages, emails, and online social networking sites.

Culture influences individuals’ perceptions about societal norms and

appropriate modes of behavior, and is therefore recognized as a major determinate of a

society’s food habits (Kittler 2001). While the immediate needs of food are biological,

it is evident that foodways – which include how food is produced, what foods are

eaten, how food is prepared, portion sizes, methods of eating, number of meals per

day, time of eating, and how people eat – are shaped by a culture’s social, religious,

economic, and political processes. As a result, food habits not only form because they

are effective and practical given available resources, but also because they are


meaningful practices within a particular culture (Fieldhouse 1986). For example, even

if they have the means to do otherwise, Thai people typically sit in a circle on the floor

to eat their meals, sharing food out of bowls placed in the center of the circle. Why? It

is a part of their culture.

While there are many cultural aspects that influence foodways, the overarching

system that guides society, and in turn foodways, is a culture’s value system

(Fieldhouse 1986). Values are principles and standards that are central to people’s

lives and guide behavior (L. R. Kahle 1983). Values undoubtedly vary from person to

person, but core values that are characteristic of the American population have been

identified, and have remained relatively constant since the founding of this country

(Fieldhouse 1986).

The purpose of this paper is to explore the effect cultural values have on

American food habits - specifically fast food consumption. Kahle’s List of Values

(LOV) is based on the work of Maslow (1954), Rokeach (1973), and Feather (1975),

and consists of nine dominant American values. The LOV was developed with the

goal of identifying values that have direct marketing applications, and that better

predict consumer behavior (Solomon, 2004; Blackwell et al., 2001; Lindquist et al.,

2003; T. J. Reynolds et al., 2001; L. R. Kahle et al., 1986). It is therefore appropriate

to use the LOV in this research to classify Americans’ underlying motivations for

eating fast food. The following contemporary American values were identified by

Kahle (1983): a sense of belonging, warm relationships with others, a sense of

accomplishment, self-fulfillment, being well-respected, self-respect, security, fun and


enjoyment in life, and excitement. The following section details the methods and

procedure used in this study.

Research Method

A grounded theory research method and laddering interview technique was

employed to explore the research question, ―What underlying values motivate

American consumers to buy fast food?‖ While it is suspected that there are underlying

values motivating Americans’ excessive fast food consumption, there is currently no

data from which to support that suspicion. Existing research on fast food consumption

focuses on the immediate factors that influence what consumers eat – taste,

convenience, price, nutrition, etc. – and fails to address the underlying motivations for

why consumers value certain attributes of fast food and food in general. It is therefore

most appropriate to use a grounded theory method because it allows the researcher to

explore the research question without making a priori hypotheses. This is important

for two reasons. (1) Given the lack of explanatory data on the latent motivations that

induce Americans to eat fast food it would be difficult to project hypotheses about the

American fast food phenomenon; and (2) because it is suspected that the motivations

for fast food consumption are underlying, it is likely that there is a disconnect between

why consumers say they eat fast food, and why they actually eat it. A grounded theory

research method is therefore useful because it requires the researcher to immerse

themselves in the phenomenon being studied in an attempt to understand the

phenomenon as it is.


Grounded Theory

Grounded theory is the formation of theory from data obtained and analyzed

using social research methods. In other words, grounded theory involves analysis of a

social phenomenon, and the subsequent formation of a theory that is driven by patterns

that emerge within the data (Glaser 1967). The process of developing a grounded

theory is essentially the scientific method in reverse, where one begins by collecting

and analyzing a data set, and then proposes hypotheses or theories based on the data.

A critical strength of using a grounded theory approach is that the theories formed are

based on the everyday realities of the subjects being studied. A grounded theory,

therefore, fits at least one set of data perfectly (Coyne and Cowley 2006). The ability

of grounded theory to accurately describe or predict another data set can then be

strengthened by testing it across multiple cases. Durkheim’s sociological theory of the

family is one example of a grounded theory that has endured for over a century. He

developed his theory, which has since been tested across multiple cases, through

comparative analysis of ethnographic data, history, law, and statistical data on family

structures (Lamanna 2002).

The formation of a grounded theory involves comparative analysis of data that

has been deconstructed, coded, and categorized. The goal of this process is to develop

a theory ―that explains the dominant process in the social area being investigated

(Coyne and Cowley 2006).‖ Multiple techniques can be used to build a grounded

theory. A laddering interview technique and means-end chain analysis was used in this

study to uncover the underlying values that motivate Americans to buy fast food.


Laddering & Means-end Chain Analysis

Laddering and means-end chain analysis are techniques used to uncover

important, and often subconscious, associations that consumers hold toward a product,

service, or behavior. Laddering refers to the specific technique used to uncover

relationships between the attributes of a product, service, or behavior; the perceived

consequences of those attributes; and the personal values the consequences are

expected to reinforce. Means-end chain analysis is the process used to interpret data

collected through laddering (T. J. Reynolds 1988).

Laddering can be conducted through surveys or interviews. Interviews were

conducted for this study because they allow the researcher to probe for more in depth

information than a survey. The interviews are one-on-one and consist of a series of

directed probes characterized by the question, ―Why is that important to you?‖ The

directed probes help the researcher trace the connections a respondent makes between

product attributes, consequences, and personal values. For example, laddering

interviews were used in a salty-snack study to identify why consumers prefer certain

snack foods. Consumers were presented with basic distinctions between snack chips

and were asked to identify which they preferred. They were then continually asked to

elaborate on why attributes or consequences that they cited as important were in fact

important to them (T. J. Reynolds 1988). Ladders were constructed for each interview

based on a set of summary codes developed through comparative analysis of the data.

Figure 3 shows an example of a ladder from the salty-snack study.


Figure 3: Example Ladder

The ladder above shows the connections a participant makes between potato

chip attributes (A), the perceived consequences (C) of those attributes, and the

personal value (V) the participant expects the consequences to reinforce. In the

example above, purchase and consumption of flavored potato chips reinforces the

participant’s underlying value of self-esteem. Researchers in the salty-snack study

therefore developed advertising campaigns for their flavored potato chips that

appealed to consumers’ self-esteem and desire to be physically fit.

Once a set of summary codes are confirmed, and ladders are constructed for

each interview, means-end chain analysis can begin. A means-end chain is a sequence

of attributes, consequences, and values developed from the significant relations that

emerge from the aggregate data. In other words, a means-end chain represents the

respondents’ ladders in aggregate, where as a ladder refers to a sequence of attributes,

consequences, and values from one respondent.

Means-end chains are constructed by creating a table that records the number

of times each element leads to another element for each ladder. The significant

relationships between elements are then mapped on a hierarchical value map (HVM).

Relationships are considered significant if one element is linked to another element

between three to five times for a sample of 50 to 60 individuals (T. J. Reynolds 1988).

Figure 4 shows a hypothetical hierarchical value map for wine coolers.


Figure 4: Hypothetical Hierarchical Value Map

Source: Reynolds, Thomas. Gutman, Jonathan. ―Laddering Theory, Method, Analysis, and

Interpretation.‖ Journal of Advertising Research, 1988.

The map above traces the connections consumers make between wine cooler

attributes (―means‖) at the bottom of the figure, to their associated consequences, to

the values (―ends‖) reinforced by the consequences at the top of the figure. A pathway

traced from bottom to top represents one potential perceptual orientation, or one

means-end chain (T. J. Reynolds 1988). This study used a laddering interview


technique and means-end chain analysis to develop a hierarchical value map for fast

food. The following sections details the sample and procedure used for this study.

Sample & Data Collection

A total of 45 laddering interviews were conducted, of which 36 were usable.

Nine interviews could not be used for one of three reasons. In some cases the

respondent said they do not eat fast food. In other cases a core American value could

not be derived from the responses given during the interview. For example, respondent

26 said the main reason she eats fast food is because it tastes good. When asked why

taste is important she answered, ―Because if something doesn’t taste good you are not

going to want to eat it.‖ Further probing into why taste is important to her did not

reveal underlying values that motivate her fast food consumption; she simply prefers

the taste of fast food. Lastly, some interviews could not be used because it was

obvious that the interviewer influenced the respondent’s answers. For example, in

interview 27, the interviewer asked the respondent what she hoped to accomplish by

participating in the Spanish Masters Program at OU. The researcher therefore

predisposed the respondent to answer in a way that reflects a value of

accomplishment. The total number of usable interviews in this study is consistent with

previous laddering research that suggests it is best to conduct between 20 and 60

interviews (Gruber 2007).

Interviews took place in public areas of Ohio University’s campus and lasted

approximately five minutes. Respondents were approached randomly in the Ohio


University library, outside Ohio University Baker Center, and on College Green; and

were asked if they would be willing to participate in a short interview about food

culture and their eating habits. The majority of people approached were willing to

participate in the interview. The few people that declined to participate said that they

did not have time because they had to get to class, work, or a meeting. Of the 36

analyzable interviews, 22 respondents were female and 14 respondents were male. All

respondents were undergraduate or graduate students at Ohio University ranging in

age from 18 to 36 years old.

The 45 interviews were conducted in four sets (14, 11, 10, and 10) over a one

week period. Separating the interviews into four sections and administering them over

a one week period allowed for ample reflection time to evaluate the interview process

and revise the interview outline (Lincoln 1985). The time of day interviews were

conducted was intentionally varied because it was believed that time of day would not

have an effect on respondents answers. Interviews were therefore conducted during

the late morning, afternoon, and early evening.

Procedure

Prior to data collection a pretest was conducted to evaluate the research

method. The pretest consisted of unstructured laddering interviews with five Ohio

University students about their fast food consumption habits. The preliminary results

showed that a laddering interview technique was effective at uncovering the

underlying values that motivate respondents to eat fast food.


Based on the pretest, an interview outline was developed to further explore the

underlying motives for fast food consumption. Although an interview outline was

used, the interviews were unscheduled. In other words, the interview outline was

flexible so that the sequence of questions, the number of questions asked, and the

wording of questions could vary based on respondents’ answers and the overall flow

of the interview (Gorden 1987).

The interview outline began by asking respondents, ―Do you eat fast food?‖2 If

they answered yes, they were asked to identify the main reasons why they eat fast

food. The most common responses included speed, convenience, price, and taste.

Next, respondents were asked to state which reason they identified was most important

to them and why. The remainder of the interview consisted of a series of directed

probes characterized by the question, ―Why is that important to you?‖ Respondents

were continually asked to explain why specified attributes and consequences were

important to them to help the researcher identify the connections they make between

fast food attributes, consequences, and values. At the end of the interviews

demographic information including gender, age, and year in school was also collected.

The initial interview outline can be found in Appendix B.

2 For the purpose of this study fast food restaurants were defined as restaurant chains that serve food quickly in

take-away packaging, source the majority of their ingredients from industrial food producers, and rely on pre-

heated or pre-cooked ingredients. The list of fast food restaurants shown to respondents are fast food restaurants in

Athens, Ohio, and may be found in the initial interview outline in Appendix B.


An interview example, using excerpts from respondent 23’s transcript, is

outlined in Table 2.

Table 2: Interview Example

Interviewer: Do you eat fast food?

Respondent: Yes

Interviewer: What is the main reason that you eat fast food?

Respondent: Because it is quick

Interviewer: Why is it important to you that it’s quick?

Respondent: Because I don’t have a lot of time sometimes, and I don’t always like

cooking, and it takes a lot of time, and I don’t want to do the dishes.

Interviewer: What other things are you doing with your time that necessitates the

speed of fast food?

Respondent: Homework, classes and stuff, and different groups that I am in. I have

a lot of meetings.

Interviewer: Why is it important to you to be involved in school and those groups?

Respondent: Because I want to be successful and I want to get a good job.

Based on respondent 23’s interview responses, the underlying value classified

as motivating her fast food consumption was ―a sense of accomplishment.‖

The Revised Interview Outline

During the interview process, detailed notes were kept to evaluate the

interview outline. Two revisions were made to the interview outline based on the

evaluations and reflections. First, for interviews 15 through 45, a questionnaire was

added to the end of each interview that asked respondents to identify their first and

second most important values from Kahle’s List of Values. The questionnaire was

added to see if the respondents’ most important stated values (from the questionnaire)

matched the underlying value found to motivate them to eat fast food based on their


interview responses. This was done to verify if the values found to motivate fast food

consumption were in fact underlying values. If respondents’ stated values failed to

match the value found to motivate them to eat fast food, based on their interview

responses, it may be concluded that the values motivating their fast food consumption

are subconscious, or underlying. A copy of the stated values questionnaire can be

found in Appendix C.

The second revision applied to interviews 36 through 45. Instead of beginning

the interviews by asking respondents, ―Do you eat fast food?‖ Respondents were first

asked, ―How often in a typical week do you eat out?‖ The following question was

then, ―When you eat out do you typically go to a sit-down restaurant or a quick

service, fast food restaurant?‖ This revision was made to see if respondents were more

willing to talk about eating fast food if the topic was eased into, rather than abruptly

confronting respondents with the question, ―Do you eat fast food?‖ The effectiveness

of this revision will be discussed in the following section. The revised interview

outline can be found in Appendix D.

Analysis and Results

The objective of the analysis process is to create a hierarchical value map that

visually displays the connections respondents make between fast food attributes, the

perceived consequences of those attributes, and the values reinforced by the

consequences. To accomplish this, interviews were transcribed and cross-analyzed

with the goal of identifying reoccurring attributes, consequences, and values (A/C/V)


for fast food consumption. Interviews were first transcribed and analyzed individually,

noting the responses within each interview that related to a product attribute,

consequence, or value. Key words and phrases relating to an attribute, consequence, or

value are bolded on the interview transcriptions found in Appendix E.

Next, the data was cross-analyzed to identify common A/C/Vs for fast food

consumption between the interviews. For example, many respondents cited ―time‖ as

being an important consequence of the fast food attributes speed and convenience. The

respondents talked about time in relation to different circumstances such as more time

for work, more time to study, more free time, and able to get work in on time.

However, ―time‖ was the common element drawn from each response and was

therefore designated as a reoccurring consequence. It is necessary to group common

responses together because if each response was individually considered a

consequence, then it would be difficult to achieve replication across interviews, and

few consequences would have a high enough frequency to appear on the hierarchical

value map. Designated consequences should therefore be broad enough to achieve

replication, where more than one respondent mentions one characteristic leading to

another, but not so broad that important information is lost (T. J. Reynolds 1988).

Table 3 shows the fast food attributes, consequences, and values identified in

this study. The characteristics under the attributes and consequences categories were

identified based on a comparative analysis of interview responses. Detailed

explanations of the characteristics in the consequences category can be found in


appendix F. The values listed are from Kahle’s List of Values and were used to

classify interview responses that related to personal values.

Table 3: Fast Food A/C/V Characteristics

Attributes Consequences Values

1. Fast and convenient 5. Healthier 13. Sense of belonging

2. Taste 6. Satisfy craving 14. Sense of

accomplishment

3. Price 7. Time 15. Self-fulfillment

4. Fresh 8. Less effort 16. Being well-respected

9. More responsible 17. Self-respect

10. Appearances / look

good

18. Security

11. More money 19. Fun, enjoyment, and

excitement in life

12. Better future 20. Warm relationships

with others

To ensure that the attributes, consequences, and values identified above

accurately reflect the interviews, the data was reviewed and verified by a specialist on

consumer behavior and grounded theory research methods.

After confirming the A/C/V list, a number was assigned to each characteristic

so that individual ladders could be recorded in a numerical format. The number

assigned to each characteristic appears next to the characteristic in Table 3. For

example, the numerical ladder for respondent 1 is as follows: 1 – 7 – 9 – 10 – 12 – 14.

Correspondingly, the non-numerical ladder for respondent 1 would be: fast and

convenient – time – more responsible – appearances/look good – better future – sense

of accomplishment. See Appendix G for a list of numerically recorded ladders for the

36 usable interviews.

It is helpful to record the ladders in a numerical format because the next step in

the analysis process is to create a table that displays how many times one


characteristic directly and indirectly leads to another characteristic for each ladder (T.

J. Reynolds 1988). A direct link between characteristics refers to two adjoining

characteristics. An indirect link between characteristics refers to two characteristics

that appear in the same ladder, but do not directly border one another. For example, in

respondent 1’s ladder 1 – 7 – 9 – 10 – 12 – 14; 1 directly links to 7, 7 to 9, 9 to 10, 10

to 12, and 12 to 14. There are, however, multiple indirect links that may also be

considered. For example, 1 to 9, 1 to 10, 1 to 12, 1 to 14, 7 to 10, 7 to 12, and so on.

The direct and indirect links between fast food characteristics are shown in Table 4.

Table 4: Linkages between Fast Food Attributes, Consequences, and Values

Table 4’s row numbers correspond to column numbers, thus row 5 and column

5 both represent the characteristic ―Healthier.‖ Within the table, the number to the left

of the forward slash is the number of direct links between two characteristics, and the

number to the right of the forward slash is the number of indirect links between two

characteristics. For example, the number of direct and indirect links between ―More

responsible (9)‖ and ―Better future (12)‖ are 11 and 2 respectively. The value map for

A /C / V 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

1 Fast & Convenient 25/3 3/3 1/20 0/4 0/1 0/16 0/2 0/6 0/7 0/1 0/11 0/1 1

2 Taste 2/0 2/0 1/1 0/2 0/2 0/1 2

3 Price 0/1 1/0 0/1 3

4 Fresh 1/0 0/1 0/1 4

5 Healthier 1/0 0/1 1/0 1/0 5

6 Satisfy Craving 1/0 0/1 1/0 7

7 Time 3/0 18/2 1/3 1/0 2/13 0/2 1/5 1/6 0/1 1/11 8

8 Less Effort 3/0 2/1 0/4 0/1 0/2 0/2 1/0 9

9 More Responsible 3/0 11/2 0/1 1/4 3/2 1/0 2/7 10

10 Appearances/look good 3/0 5/1 0/2 11

11 More Money 1/0 0/1 1/0 12

12 Better future 1/0 4/0 3/0 8/0 13

13 Sense of Belonging 30

14 Sense of Accomplishment 31

15 Self-fulfillment 32

16 Being well-respected 33

17 Self-respect 34

18 Security 35

19 Fun, Enjoyment, and excitement in life 36

20 Warm relationships with others 37


fast food was developed by tracing the significant links between characteristics in

Table 4. For this study, a relationship between two characteristics was considered

significant if it had three or more direct and/or indirect links.3 The link between ―More

responsible (9)‖ and ―Better future (12)‖ is therefore a significant link.

As previously stated, a value map is comprised of means-end chains, and

visually displays the significant relationships between product attributes (―means‖),

the consequences associated with those attributes, and the values (―ends‖) the

consequences are expected to reinforce (T. J. Reynolds 1988). Value maps can be

difficult to construct because the researcher must decide how to best display the

significant relationships among motivators.

The fast food value map developed from the interview data was constructed by

starting in row 1 of the table and following it across until the first column with a

significant number of links with characteristic 1 was reached. The first significant

relationship in row 1, ―Fast and convenient,‖ is with column 7, ―Time,‖ which has 25

direct links and 3 indirect links. Because column 7, ―time,‖ is the first significant

relationship one proceeds to row 7, ―time,‖ and follows it across to the first column

with a significant number of links. That is column 8, ―Less effort,‖ with 3 direct links.

One then proceeds to row 8, ―Less effort,‖ and sees that the first significant column

goes back to column 7, ―time,‖ with 3 direct links. However, further analysis reveals

that the next significant link with both ―Time (7)‖ and ―Less effort (8)‖ is ―More

Responsible (9).‖ Furthermore, there is also a significant link between ―Fast and

3 The significant cutoff point used in this study is consistent with previous laddering research that suggests a cutoff

between three to five relations given a sample of 50 to 60 individuals (T. J. Reynolds 1988).


Convenient (1)‖ and ―Less Effort (8).‖ Therefore, ―Time (7)‖ and ―Less effort (8)‖

were plotted parallel to each other on the fast food value map, preceded by ―Fast and

Convenient (1),‖ and followed by ―More responsible (9).‖ The significant relations

were traced until a final value was reached for the first means-end chain. The process

was then repeated until all significant relations were mapped on the fast food value

map. Figure 5 shows the fast food value map developed from the aggregate interview

data.

Figure 5: Fast Food Value Map

*The numbers display the direct / indirect links between motivators

*The blue arrows trace the path with the most significant relations

The fast food value map is read from left to right, with every traceable path

representing one means-end chain. The most common answers respondents gave for

eating fast food were fast, convenient, price, and taste. However, when asked which

factor was most important respondents most commonly answered, ―A combination of

fast and convenient.‖ The only attribute (green) therefore found to be significant given

the sample size and significance cutoff level was ―Fast and convenient.‖ Tracing

―Fast and convenient‖ through its associated consequences (yellow), the underlying


values (red) found to motivate respondents’ fast food purchases were security, self-

fulfillment, a sense of accomplishment, and a sense of belonging.

The values were confirmed to be underlying, or subconscious, as only 16.7

percent of respondents’ most important stated values from the questionnaire actually

matched the values found to motivate their fast food consumption based on their

interview responses. In other words, the majority of respondents did not identify the

values that actually influenced their behavior, which suggests that the values found to

motivate fast food consumption are in fact underlying (Nisbett 1977).

It is also important to note that the majority of respondents were reluctant to

admit to eating fast food. This reinforces the assumption that respondents know fast

food is bad (in some way) because they feel a stigma attached to it. The interview

outline was revised for interviews 36 – 45 in an attempt to create a friendlier

atmosphere where respondents would not be hesitant to talk about eating fast food.

When respondents were first asked how often they eat out, and then asked what type

of restaurants they typically eat at (sit-down vs. fast food), they were more relaxed and

willing to talk about their fast food consumption habits.

The means-end chain with the most significant relations, or the strongest path,

is traced in blue on the value map and shown below in Figure 6.

Figure 6: Most Significant Means-end Chain

As shown in Figure 6, the value ―Security‖ was found to be the strongest

underlying motivator for fast food consumption. Based on the interview responses,


―Security‖ refers mainly to financial security and stability. Multiple respondents talked

about the importance of getting an education and working hard to support themselves

and their families. For example, respondent 45 explained that getting an education

―means security and not having to worry about the future.‖ Being able to quickly pick

up food from a fast food restaurant gives her more time to focus on her studies, which

are important to her so that she can secure a stable job in the future and provide for her

family.

Additionally, although it was not tested in this study, the value ―Security‖ is

suspected to motivate fast food consumption because respondents have pleasant

remembrances of being rewarded with fast food as children. For generation Y, which

respondents of this study are a part of, fast food was not likely an everyday meal when

they were children, but rather a special occasion or treat. Respondents may therefore

be nostalgic about their favorite childhood fast food restaurant, and as a result feel a

sense of comfort and security when eating it. This idea is consistent with previous

research, which found that emotional experiences during childhood largely shape

consumer behavior later in life. For example, when Nestlé first introduced coffee into

the Japanese market in the 1970s, it was not well-received by older generations that

traditionally drank tea. Nestlé therefore introduced non-caffeinated coffee flavored

desserts into the Japanese market, with children and adolescents as their target

audience, to develop a positive connection to coffee that would last through adulthood.

Nestlé now has a major foothold in the Japanese coffee market, which sells around

half a billion pounds of coffee a year (Rapaille 2006). Fast food advertising campaigns


target children in a similar way, with the goal of emotionally imprinting fast food

experiences on them at a young age to ensure consumption throughout their lives.

Respondents that purchase fast food because on a subconscious level it

reinforces their value of ―self-fulfillment,‖ talked about the desire to pursue a college

degree because it felt natural to them. They eat fast food because it is fast and

convenient, which gives them more time and energy to put towards pursuing their

personal goals and aspirations. For example, when asked why it is important to him to

go to college and study history, respondent 33 replied, ―I entered college because it

was what I was supposed to do, and I was originally majoring in journalism because it

was what I was supposed to do according to a lot of people in my life, but I switched

to history because it is what I want to do.‖ Respondent 33 appreciates the speed and

convenience of fast food because it allows him to dedicate more time to studying

history, which reinforces his value of self-fulfillment.

Respondents that value ―a sense of accomplishment‖ purchase fast food

because it gives them more time to achieve their academic and career goals. Multiple

respondents talked about the importance of focusing on school and work because they

have to meet certain requirements to accomplish their goals of graduating, getting a

good job after college, or getting into graduate school. For example, when asked why

it is important to her to go to class and get good grades, respondent 31 explained, ―It is

important because I want to get into grad school, and I need to have at least a 3.0 to

get in so I can’t slack off.‖


Respondents whose fast food consumption is motivated by their value of ―a

sense of belonging,‖ talked about belongingness with respect to cultural norms, social

groups, and friends. For example, respondent 12 said that he eats fast food because if

he is in a hurry and by himself, it is acceptable to eat alone at a fast food restaurant. He

therefore feels a cultural belongingness because his behavior (eating alone) is socially

accepted. Respondent 20 declared that he eats fast food because he is involved in a

fraternity and does not have the time to cook because he is busy with fraternity

obligations. Fast food therefore gives him more time to be involved in his fraternity,

which reinforces his value of belongingness.

Although some respondents recognized the importance of eating a healthy diet,

it came second to school, work, and social obligations. This type of mentality

reoccurred throughout the interviews; confirming that the values security, self-

fulfillment, a sense of accomplishment, and a sense of belonging take precedence over

concerns for health, or the social and environmental injustices perpetuated by the fast

food industry and industrial agriculture. The next question then follows, ―What

tentative conclusion can be drawn from the data and what implications do they have

for society?‖

Tentative Conclusions

The findings of this study indicate that respondents say they eat fast food

because it is fast and convenient; but the real motivators behind their fast food

purchasing habits are their values of security, self-fulfillment, a sense of


accomplishment, and a sense of belonging. Based on this exploratory research, the

following propositions with both business and societal implications were drawn.

The first proposition applies to businesses and has implications for addressing

the negative health, social, and environmental consequences associated with fast food

consumption and industrial food production.

Proposition 1

To be widely accepted by American consumers as a meal option, fast food

alternatives must reinforce the underlying values found to motivate American

fast food consumption.

Values can shift over time; however, the core American values found to motivate

American fast food consumption are the same values this country was founded upon

and prospered from (Schlosser 2002). They are therefore unlikely to change anytime

soon. Consequently, fast food alternatives developed to address the health, social, and

environmental problems associated with fast food consumption and industrial

agriculture will need to reinforce the underlying values found to motivate Americans

to eat fast food in the first place.

There is skepticism that sustainably produced, healthy, and affordable food can

be done on a large scale, but Chipotle Mexican Grill ® is one restaurant chain that

succeeded in doing just that. Chipotle’s founders developed a profitable business

model that enabled them to serve foods with unprocessed, seasonal, family-farmed,

sustainable, nutritious, naturally raised, added hormone free, and organic ingredients


to consumers quickly, at an affordable price, and on a large scale (Chipotle, F.Y.I

2010).

As of December 1, 2009 there were 956 Chipotle restaurants in operation in 35

states throughout the United States, the District of Columbia, and Ontario (Chipotle,

2009 Annual Report 2009). The scale of its operations has enabled Chipotle to use its

influence to promote environmentally sustainable and socially responsible food

production methods and healthy eating habits. However, it has not had to sacrifice

profits in the process. Chipotle has consistently beat financial analysts’ growth targets

since it went public in 2006, and reported revenue of $1.5 billion last year (Collins

2010). The success of Chipotle proves that it is possible to offer consumers all over

America fast ―Food with Integrity‖4 at an affordable price.

Nevertheless, it is necessary to note that depending on what one orders and

how much one eats, caloric intake at a Chipotle can be just as high or higher than at a

typical fast food restaurant. The bottom line, however, is that there is no mystery to

what one is consuming when eating at a Chipotle. The ingredients are nutritious,

produced humanely, and do not contain unfamiliar ingredients or additives. The task

of portion control and consumption with regard to moderation therefore becomes the

responsibility of the consumer.

4 ―Food with Integrity‖ is the Chipotle philosophy to continually strive to offer food that is better tasting, comes

from better sources, is better for the environment, is better for the animals, and is better for farmers (Chipotle, F.Y.I

2010).


Proposition 2

Americans are forward and backward thinking about their careers, but they

are not forward or backward thinking about the food they eat.

It is suspected that the average American can specify how the skills they learned from

their first jobs prepared them for future jobs, as well as their future career plans;

however, they would have difficulty explaining the process it takes to get a hamburger

to their plate, or the long-term consequences of consuming too much red meat. When

it comes to food it appears that Americans specialize in consumption and give very

little thought to the production process or the long-term health effects of their diet.

What is most puzzling about this is that a healthy diet is an important factor for

intellectual development and performance. Yet, the respondents of this study did not

link their food consumption behaviors to the current or future state of their health,

their academic performance, or their career achievements. Additional research that

investigates how Americans perceive their diet to impact their future health,

intellectual development, and physical performance could yield valuable insights for

addressing diet-related health problems and worker productivity.

Societal Implications

Over the past 40 years fast food has evolved into a defining characteristic of

American [food] culture; with Americans now spending more money on fast food than

on higher education, personal computers, computer software, and automobiles

(Schlosser 2002). The trouble with the American fast food society, however, is that

American food consumption habits and production methods have produced a variety


of health, social, and environmental problems. To better understand why Americans

continue to eat excessive amounts of fast food despite the negative consequences, this

study explored consumers’ underlying motivations for fast food consumption.

A grounded theory research method and laddering interview technique was

used to probe beyond the initial attributes that induce consumers to buy fast food, and

uncover the underlying values motivating American fast food consumption. The

results showed that the speed and convenience of fast food is valuable to respondents

because it gives them more time and energy to pursue endeavors that are important to

them; and that reinforce their personal values of security, self-fulfillment, a sense of

accomplishment, and a sense of belonging. Concerns about health, social, and

environmental problems associated with fast food was therefore found to be secondary

to the pursuit of the respondents’ values.

Contrary to typical methods of combating societal problems via education and

information campaigns, this research proposes a different approach to address the

negative consequences of a fast food society. Alternative approaches are necessary

because the typical methods of correcting negative behaviors through cognitive means

(i.e., telling consumers fast food is bad for them and why it is bad for them) is not

working. Consumers know fast food is bad for them and continue to eat it. It is

therefore necessary to try alternative approaches that take into account the underlying

values that drive American fast food consumption.

Based on the results of this study, two propositions with social and business

implications were proposed. First, to be accepted by the American public, fast food


alternatives must reinforce the values found to motivate fast food consumption.

Second, it was found that respondents focus on food consumption, giving little thought

to how food is produced, or how it will affect their future health. Additional research

that investigates the disconnect Americans have between the food they eat, how it was

produced, and their future health may hold implications for how to best address diet-

related health problems and unsustainable food production methods.

The development of fast food alternatives, and additional research on

consumers’ perceptions of foodways, are necessary to begin to correct the health,

social, and environmental problems perpetuated by the fast food industry. There is

skepticism that healthy and sustainably produced food can be achieved on a large scale

in America, but as Michael Pollan asserted during an interview with Oprah, ―…if we

can figure out how to reengineer the chicken, we can figure out how to produce

healthy, affordable, and sustainable food (Pollan, Real Food, Real Answers: 8

Questions with Michael Pollan 2010).‖

Limitations

There are limitations to using a grounded theory research approach. First, the

results are specific to the context from which the interpretations were generated, and

are therefore tentative as they might not be perfectly transferable to another set of data.

Consequently, it is necessary to repeat the study with different data sets to assess the

transferability of the results (Hirschman 1986).


Second, to increase dependability of results future studies should utilize

multiple interviewers. The use of multiple interviewers helps ensure that

interpretations of the data are accurate because it reduces the likelihood that

explanations of the phenomenon being studied are influenced by an individual

researcher’s views and experiences (Hirschman 1986).

Lastly, the ability to probe deeply into the personal values of respondents was

limited by the interview setting. It is therefore recommended that future interviews be

done in a private setting where respondents would be more comfortable talking about

their personal values.

Conclusion

In summary, a grounded theory approach to studying American fast food

consumption revealed consumers view the speed and convenience of fast as a means

to achieve their values of security, self-fulfillment, a sense of accomplishment, and a

sense of belonging. The pursuit of those values was therefore found to be more

important to consumers than concern for their personal health, or the social and

environmental problems associated with fast food production. As a result, future

initiatives that address the problems perpetuated by the American fast food society

will need to recognized and account for the values that are most important to

consumers, and that drive their purchasing and consumption behaviors.


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Appendix A:

Key Definitions


Appendix A: Key Definitions

1. Fast Food – Restaurant chains and franchises that serve food quickly in take-

away packaging, sources the majority of their ingredients from industrial food

producers, and relies on pre-heated or pre-cooked ingredients.1

2. Industrial Agriculture – a form of modern agricultural production that refers to

the industrialized production of livestock, poultry, fish, and crops. The

methods of industrial agriculture are technologically based and rely heavily on

mechanization, genetic technology and techniques for achieving economies of

scale.2

3. Factory Farming – ―a highly intensive method of rearing animals characterised

by keeping large numbers of animals indoors in confined spaces and feeding

them processed foods, with the use of drugs to control diseases.‖3

4. Overweight - An adult who has a BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered

overweight.4

5. Obese - An adult who has a BMI of 30 or higher is considered obese.5


Endnotes

1 Wikipedia. (2010). Fast Food. Retrieved from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fast_food

2 Wikipedia. (2010). Industrial Agriculture. Retrieved from Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial_agriculture

3 Dictionary, A. (n.d.). Factory Farming. Retrieved from Agriculture Dictionary:

http://www.agriculturedictionary.com/definition/factory-farming.html

4 CDC. (2010). Overweight and Obesity. Retrieved from Center for Disease Control and Prevention:

http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/defining.html

5 Ibid


Appendix B:

Initial Interview Outline


Appendix B: Initial Interview Outline

Read respondents the consent form:

You are being asked to participate in research to collect data for an Ohio University

undergraduate thesis. Participation is entirely voluntary, and you may stop the interview

at any time. The oral interview is estimated to last between five and ten minutes and your

participation in the interview implies consent to use the data for research purposes. The

interviews will be audio recorded. You must be 18 years of age or older to participate and

if you have any additional questions I would be happy to answer them before or after the

interview. For your participation you will receive a coupon for a free drink at the

Frontroom.

Interview Outline:

1. Questions:

a. Do you eat fast food?

McDonald’s Quiznos

Burger King Subway

Taco Bell Pita Pit

Wendy’s Jimmy John’s

KFC Avalanche Pizza

Long John Silvers Domino’s Pizza

Sonic DP Dough

Dairy Queen Hungry Howie’s

Donato’s Pizza Hut

Little Cesar’s Papa John’s

b. In a typical week how many times do you eat fast food?

c. What are your favorite fast food restaurants?

d. Are there any restaurant chains on the list that you do not consider to be fast food

restaurants?

e. What are three main reasons you decide to eat at one of these restaurants?

f. So you said __________, ___________ and ____________ (repeat back)

g. Of those three reasons which is most important to you?

h. Why is it important to you that ____________

2. Thank respondents for participating in the study, ask if they have any questions, give them a

coffee coupon.


Appendix C:

Stated Values Questionnaire


Appendix C: Stated Values Questionnaire

Respondents 15-45 were asked to fill out the following questionnaire at the end of their

interviews.

Stated Values Questionnaire

Circle Male Female

Circle Freshman Sophomore Junior Senior Grad Student

Age ______

Please identify your first and second most important values from the list below. Place a 1 next to

your most important value and a 2 next to your second most important value.

_____Sense of belonging

_____Fun, enjoyment, and excitement in life

_____Warm relationships with others

_____Self-fulfillment

_____Being well-respected

_____A sense of accomplishment

_____Security

_____Self-respect


Appendix D:

Revised Interview Outline


Appendix D: Revised Interview Outline

Read respondents the consent form:

You are being asked to participate in research to collect data for an Ohio University

undergraduate thesis. Participation is entirely voluntary, and you may stop the interview

at any time. The oral interview is estimated to last between five and ten minutes and your

participation in the interview implies consent to use the data for research purposes. The

interviews will be audio recorded. You must be 18 years of age or older to participate and

if you have any additional questions I would be happy to answer them before or after the

interview. For your participation you will receive a coupon for a free drink at the

Frontroom.

Interview Outline:

Some of these questions may seem very obvious; however, it is a formality that I ask them.

There are no right or wrong answers, I am just interested in hearing what you have to say.

3. Possible Interview Questions:

a. How often in a typical week do you eat out?

b. When you eat out do you typically eat at a sit-down restaurant or a fast food/quick

service restaurant?

c. What are your favorite fast food restaurants?

d. What are three main reasons you decide to eat at a fast food restaurant?

e. So you said __________, ___________ and ____________ (repeat back)

f. Of those three reasons which is most important to you?

g. Why is it important to you that ____________

4. Thank respondents for participating in the study, ask if they have any questions, give them a

coffee coupon.


Appendix E:

Transcribed Interviews


Appendix E: Transcribed Interviews

Below are the transcriptions for all 45 interviews. ―M‖ refers to the interviewer and ―R‖ refers to

the respondent. Demographic information is included in parentheses as follows: length of

interview (minutes: seconds), gender, current year in college, age. For interviews 15-45, the two

values listed at the beginning of each interview are the stated values identified by each

respondent as their number one and number two most important values.

Interview 1 (1:58, Female, 4, 21)

M: Do you eat fast food?

R: Not really. Like on a car trip I’ll stop at McDonald’s.

M: If you were to look at this list of fast food chains around town would you say that you eat

any of these?

R: Yeah, Yeah definitely I eat at Subway.

M: Do you normally think of them as fast food?

R: Some of them, but not really Subway or Pita Pit, but I guess it really is fast food.

M: And when you go eat at a Subway or Pita Pit what are the three main reasons why you

do?

R: Quick and convenient mainly.

M: Why is it important to you that it is convenient?

R: Because if I have half an hour between meetings I need to have something that I can get

quickly.

M: Okay, so you can get to your meetings on time then?

R: Yes.

M: Why do you think getting to the meeting is important

R: It’s a sign of respect to be on time I suppose, it’s my job, if I am late it doesn’t really look

good.

M: Okay, well why is it important to look good and responsible for your job?

R: Well I never really thought about that question, for future jobs, for personal pride in

what I do.




R: Not usually.

M: How about, do you eat from any of the fast food restaurants on this list?

R: Yeah, Subway.

M: Well when you do go eat Subway what are the three main reasons why you go there on a

particular day.

R: Umm the taste.

M: So you would say more often than not taste is the most important factor.

R: Well taste and it’s not bad for you health wise

M: Why is it important to you that it is heathy

R: Well I guess right now my weight, and calories, and the future.

M: What do you mean in terms of future? Could you explain that a little more for me?

R: Well like high blood pressure, my family has a history of high blood pressure and I don’t

want to get that.

M: So health is an important factor for you.

R: Yes.

Interview 3 (2:16, Male, 2, 20)

M: you eat fast food?

R: Sometimes.

M: Out of the places on this list where do you most often eat.

R: Pita pit

M: When you do eat Pita Pit or fast food why do you go there?

R: Well with Pita Pit I think they have more variety and its different from everything else.

Everything else is just burgers and fries.

M: Well what makes you go buy fast food vs. going to the dining hall or cooking?


R: Well it’s cheaper, but the quality of the food too, but mainly because it is cheaper.

M: Why is it important to you that it is cheaper?

R: Because I have no money

M: Why is it important to you that the quality of the food is good, or what necessarily do you

mean by quality?

R: Well the quality of ingredients, because fast food places buy things more in bulk, and at

pita pit you can see the ingredients in front of you I think it is more of a trust thing. You are

able to tell that the ingredients are fresh is important.



R: No

M: Do you eat from any of these on this list?

R: Jimmy John’s

M: When you eat there what are three of the main reasons why you do?

R: Because they serve turkey, and that’s probably the only thing I can eat, and good quality,

good bread, fast service

M: Why is it important to you that the service is fast?

R: Because if I have some place to be the service is quick.

M: Why is it important to you that you be on time to where you have to go?

R: I feel like you are looking for something

M: If it’s not there its fine

R: If I have to get to class its important

M: Why is it important for you to go to class?

R: To learn

M: Why is it important for you to learn?

R: So that I can get a job, maybe go to graduate school, to graduate would be a good thing

M: Why is it important for you to graduate school?


R: Oh boy, wow, sure you are not a philosophy major? Okkk ummm so that I can provide

for myself the way I want to live.



R: Yeah

M: How often in a typical week do you eat fast food?

R: Probably 3

M: What places do you eat from most often

R: Probably Taco John’s

M: When you do eat fast food what are the three main reasons why you decide to?

R: Because it is quick, cheap, and convenient

M: Which reason is most important to you

R: Being quick

M: Why is that important to you

R: You have classes you always have to go to, work on projects and that stuff, so just being

fast

M:Why is it important to you to go to class

R: To get good grades to graduate eventually

M: Why is that important to you

R: Umm because I want to get a good job

M: What does getting a good job mean to you

R: Comfort I guess, know you actually have a job in an economy like this

M: Okay, so security then?

R: Yeah security

Interview 6 (2:24, Female, Grad, 36)



R: Occasionally

M: Okay, about how many times a week, or month if that is more appropriate do you eat fast

food?

R: Probably twice a month

M: Are there any restaurants on this list that would strike you as not being fast food?

R: No, I guess they would all be considered fast food

M: Okay, well when you do decide to eat fast food what are the three main reasons why you

do?

R: Um, just time mainly, short on time, uhhh, I’ll be out driving around and I’ll be hungry, or

I just don’t want to fix anything

M: So which would you say is the main factor of those three?

R: Time

M: An why is that an important factor for you?

R: Well with being a student, plus I am working, plus I have kids, I have less time to do that

M: Why is it important to you to get all those things done rather than fix something, or going

to school

R: Typically the deadlines on any homework, or things for work, plus helping my kids with

things that they need, just I guess ummm the other things are more of a priority than

having a sit down meal

M: Why is it important to you to make those deadlines

R: Well, one for grades, then the deadlines are there for a reason and if I didn’t have the

deadlines I would just keep procrastinating and putting them off

M: And why do you work hard to get those grades? What things are you working towards

after that, why is that important for you?

R: Well, good grades allows me to graduate and get a better paying job, so just a better

and easier life I guess


M: Do you eat fast food


R: Yes

M: In a typical week how often do you eat it?

R: Probably three times a week, or well four times

M: And what places do you go to most often?

R: Burger King, Wendy’s, and Sonic

M: And when you go there what are the three main reasons why you decide to eat fast food?

R: Because they have a dollar menu

M: Okay, so cheap?

R: Yeah, it’s pretty much the only reason I go to those ones

M: And why is that important to you?

R: Because I am a broke college student with no money

M: Okay, and do you live in the dorms or out of the dorms?

R: Out of the dorms

M: Do you cook at all

R: No, not really, I actually have a dining hall meal plan still so I don’t have to spend any

money on food hardly



R: Yes

M: How often would you say that you eat it?

R: Maybe once or twice

M: And what fast food restaurants do you go to most often?

R: Probably Chipotle

M: Okay, well if that didn’t count as one, then on this list of places which do you go to?

R: Jimmy John’s


M: And when you do get fast food what are three of the main reasons why you do?

R: Its quick in and out, or if I am meeting friends there

M: So it being quick is important to you?

R: Yeah, getting in and out

M: Okay, well why is that important to you

R: I don’t know some days I just have a lot to do and just want to catch something between

class, I cannot really sit down and eat something

M: And why is it important to you to make it to class?

R: Ohh you know so I am not the awkward guy walking in late or something like that, and to

keep up with everything I guess

M: And why is that important to you to keep up with everything?

R: Umm, I guess it is just a lot from my military experience, it’s just something that has

been hammered into me I guess, you always have to get there on time

M: And does that have any particular meaning to you or you just do it because it’s habit?

R: I am just used to doing it really

M: Okay and what might happen if you didn’t do it?

R: I would probably get lazy, after a while and just start to slope down hill

M: And would that be a bad thing or are you okay with that?

R: I would say that’s a bad thing for me

M: How come?

R: I am involved in a lot and just try not to fall behind

M: And why do you involve yourself in a lot of things?

R: I just like keeping busy, I like to do as much as I can and help where I can

M: Why is it important for you to keep busy? Is there any particular reason?

R: No it’s just how I have always been

Interview 9 (2:19, Female, 23)



R: Not very often, probably very rarely

M: Well if you do what restaurants on here are you more likely to eat from

R: Probably Pita Pit or Quiznos or Chipotle, which isn’t on there, but I dunno to me that is

not really fast food it’s a little bit classier

M: Okay, well when you do decide to eat fast food what are some of the main reasons why

you do?

R: Either because I don’t have time or because I really really want a specific thing that I can

only get at a certain place

M: If you don’t have time why is it important to you that you get something quickly?

R: Because I am usually very hungry at the time and I don’t feel like taking the time that it

would take to make food because I am just hungry and want food right away

M: What other things would you be doing that would induce you to get fast food?

R: Probably when I am at work late or didn’t get to eat at work, or I am just thinking about a

certain food and want to eat it

M: Okay so work is a big reason why then?

R: Yeah, probably the only reason, pretty much all I do is work

M: Well why is it important to you that you work?

R: So that I can live, and eating would kind of come into that, having money for food and

that



R: Not very often, no

M: When you do eat fast food what would you say are the main reasons why you do?

R: Usually because I don’t have time to go anywhere else and it is cheap

M: Okay so convenient and cheap then?

R: Yes


M: Out of those two factors which would you say is most important to you?

R: Probably cheap, but I usually go to ones that don’t have any trans fats in them

M: Okay, so a health value to it then?

R: Yes

M: Okay, and just so you know all of the place on this list, like Subway and Pita Pit are

considered fast food for this study, but would you still get fast food if it was more expensive

R: I mean yeah I would go to it over other places

M: Okay, and so why would you say that it is important to you that it is convenient?

R: Well I go to school and work so I don’t always have time to go to the grocery store, I

don’t always have time to make something so the quicker the better, because I mean I have

more important things to do, but I mean I know I have to eat, but I have more important

things to do then sit down and make a meal

M: Yes, I understand what you mean

R: Why is it important to you to work or go to class?

M: Well I need to work for money right now because I mean none of us have money

right now, and I have to go to class because I have to graduate so I can make money,

getting a grade in a class is more important to me than making a really drawn out meal

Interview 11 (2:11, Male, Grad, 25)


R: Yes

M: How often would you say you eat fast food?

R: Before or after I started my diet?

M: Well, just on a typical week for you

R: Oh boy, probably, six or seven times a week

M: Okay, and what are the three main reasons you eat fast food?

R: Time number one, number two it tastes good, and can’t think of anything else, saves time

is the main thing

M: Why is it important to you that it saves time?


R: Because I am a graduate student and time is something that we don’t have a lot of, and I

am just lazy sometimes

M: I understand, well why is it important to you that you get your course work done for

graduate school

R: I want to get a career, a nice job, something I wouldn’t mind doing

M: Okay, so a getting a nice job is important to you

R: Yeah

M: Well could you explain a little bit to me about what you consider a nice job for you?

R: Nice job, nice government job, good benefits, 9 to 5, don’t have to work more than 40

hours ideally, you know something of a managerial role where you have a little more

responsibility.



R: Yes

M: How often in a week would you say you eat fast food?

R: Once

M: And when you do eat fast food what are the main reasons why you choose to?

R: It is inexpensive and it usually only happens when I realize I am in the mood for fast food

M: So price is an important factor for you then?

R: Yes, if the food were to cost more I would not buy it

M: Okay, do any of these on the list strike you as not being fast food, and which do you eat at

most often?

R: None of them strike me as not being fast food, and I eat at Quizno’s most often

M: And you go there because it is cheap and because you are in the mood for Quizno’s then?

R: Yep

M: Okay, why is price so important to you then?


R: Because as a relatively stingy guy, if I am going to eat I am going to make it myself or

eat at a dining hall, if I am going to go out to eat it will be an even with friends, in which case

we will not go to fast food, and if I am just going to eat food out by myself I am not going

to want to spend $10 plus on a meal



R: Yes

M: How many times in a typically week would you say you eat fast food?

R: Well I have chipotle pretty often, so I would say probably about five times a week

M: Okay, well what if you weren’t counting Chipotle, do you eat anywhere else from this

list, and if so how often?

R: Umm probably about three times a week

M: Okay and when you do get fast food what are the reasons why?

R: convenience is a major factor, I like the taste, I think it tastes good, and the price

M: Okay, out of those three what would you say is most important for you?

R: Convenience


R: Because I don’t particularly like to cook food, I am not very good at it, and I don’t do it

that often so it is just easier to go get a meal and eat it real quickly and then that is just not a

factor anymore

M: If you already had the food prepared in your house would you rather eat at home or would

you still go get fast food?

R: I would rather eat at home

M: Why is that?

R: Because I don’t have a car here so I would have to walk to go get something, but umm, I

definitely like to eat in my own home, usually when I get fast food I bring it back to eat at

home




R: Sometimes

M: How often in a typical week would you say you eat fast food?

R: No more than three times

M: And when you do decide to eat it what are the three main reasons why you decide to?

R: I don’t have to cook it, I am walking bye and it smells good, and it’s cheaper than going

out to eat at a nice restaurant

M: Okay, so convenience, taste, and price then?

R: Yeah

M: okay, out of those three factors is there one that is more important than the others?

R: Convenience


R: Umm, I don’t know, I cook meals a lot and it is nice to have a break because it takes

forever and I don’t have to clean up

M: What else would you be doing differently with your time

R: Nothing

M: Nothing, okay

R: I mean being lazy, I just don’t want to cook

M: Okay, well why is price important to you?

R: I spend a lot of money, and I am really bad with money

M: So you spend a lot of money on other things?

R: Yeah, if I can cut down what I spend on food then I won’t go broke as fast

M: Okay, so in comparison would you say other things are higher on your priority list

R: Yeah I suppose so


Interviewee 15 (2:19, Male, 2, 20)

1. Being well-respected

2. Fun, enjoyment, and excitement in life


R: Never

M: Okay, well do you eat from any of the places on this list?

R: Quizno’s, Subway, Jimmy John’s, those are the only three I have had in the last three

months probably

M: Okay, well when you do eat at one of these what are two or three main reasons why you

eat there

R: Usually I don’t have time and I want something that is somewhat healthy

M: Well why is it important to you that it’s quick?

R: Because I am on the run and in between classes

M: okay, so to get to class on time?

R: Yeah

M: Why is it important to you that you get to class on time?

R: Well I guess the professor expects you to be there on time

M: Okay, while why are going to classes in the first place?

R: Because we pay a lot of money to go to the class

M: And what do you hope to do with your classes

R: Well I am studying to be an accountant and that is going to be my profession and I want

to learn for my profession

M: And why did you want to be an accountant? Why is that profession important to you?

R: Umm well I guess it’s just what I was good at and accounting 101 is hard for a lot of

people and I found it really easy

M: Okay, so having a career then is important for you

R: Yeah


M: And why is your career important

R: While I hope to make a lot of money, and I guess a job is important for me because my

parents stress it more than anything, my parents feel it’s important so I guess it kind of

rubbed off on me


1. Self-fulfillment

2. Warm relationships with others


R: Sometimes

M: And when you do eat fast food what are some of the main reasons that you decide to get it

at that point

R: I’m craving it, a place where I usually go has a food item that I like, usually I am craving

that, taste is a big reason, it is just another place I go to eat

M: So taste is important to you?

R: Yeah

M: And why do you find taste important when you are choosing food?

R: I dunno, I guess I just want to satisfy my craving, listen to what my body is telling me,

like umm I guess my body would know if I am more in the mood for carbs or protein so that

I can choose where I want to go

M: How often do you eat fast food?

R: Not often, maybe once or twice a month

M: And for you it’s about taste

R: Yes

M: And I like to eat local here, there are many more choices, but if I am at home I can get

Wendy’s



1. Security

2. Self-respect


R: Yes

M: About how many times a week do you eat fast food

R: Probably about five times a week

M: And what are the main reasons why you do eat fast food when you do?

R: Because it is just something quick and it’s usually on the way to something else

M: Okay, so quick and convenient then?

R: Yeah

M: And why is it important to you that it’s quick and convenient?

R: Because I don’t want to be hungry when I am off doing something else, but then there is

not usually enough time to prepare something else ahead of time

M: So what kinds of other things are you usually doing with your time?

R: Just going to classes and doing homework

M: Okay, and what do you study?

R: Chemistry

M: And why is studying chemistry important to you?

R: It interests me

M: Okay, and what do you hope to do with your degree?

R: Be some type of lab technician

M: Is that something you have always wanted to do, or what excites you about that?

R: It’s just something that relates to science and other things that I like

M: Okay, so why is it important to you to go to school and then get a job


R: mainly because the things that I do want to do, a college education is required or it is the

best way to go about getting the job

M: And why do you want to get a job?

R: It helps to go through life, to live life and to support my hobbies like reading


1. Self-fulfillment



R: Not if I don’t have to

M: Well when you do have to what are the main reasons why you eat it?

R: If I am stuck in an airport somewhere or with other people and there is no other choice

M: Are there any places on this list that you wouldn’t consider to be fast food

R: Nope I would say that is all fast food


1. Self-respect



R: I try not to because usually when I eat it I kind of get sick, so probably once a month at

most

M: How about somewhere like Quizno’s, Subway, Jimmy John’s, Pita Pit do you eat at those

places more often?

R: Oh yes I would, I love Pita Pit

M: Me too, and when you do go there what are some of the main reasons why you do?

R: Usually when I am stressed out, or am studying, or when I haven’t eaten in a while

because I live in a sorority house and sometimes the dinner plan isn’t on time

M: So in a hurry then?

R: Yeah in a hurry, just on the go


M: Okay so then because it’s convenient?

R: Yes

M: Okay, well why is it important to you that it’s convenient?

R: Well I mean it’s always nice, and actually it’s very good food, and I like good food,

and it’s cheaper which is always a good thing

M: Well where are you usually on the run to that you need to are grab something quickly

R: Probably at class, or the library, or just going to visit a friend and I haven’t eaten yet

M: Well what is your major?

R: I am a middle childhood education major

M: And why is it important to you to study and go to class

R: Well I mean my field is going to be education so I should probably get a good

education

M: Right, I understand, and have you always wanted to be a teacher, or why is that

something that you have chosen?

R: I actually wanted to be a sports broadcaster at first and that didn’t work out, but I also

always wanted to be a teacher too

M: And why is that something that has been important to you?

R: My grandma was a teacher, my aunt and my cousin and they have always said I would be

a good one and I see how much they love it and I thought I could do that and enjoy it


1. Self-fulfillment


M: Do you eat from any of the fast food restaurants on this list?

R: Yes ma’am I sure do

M: How many times in a week would you say you do?

R: I would actually probably say once every two weeks

M: And when you do eat fast food what are some of the main reasons why you do?


R: cheap, convenient, usually while just doing the drunken stumble home

M: Well out of those two, cheap and convenient, which is most important to you

R: Convenient

M: Okay, and why is that important to you?

R: It’s just like I can’t back to my dorm in time and I am really hungry

M: Okay, and what else do you have going on with your time?

R: Well usually, the number one place that I eat at is Wendy’s because it is between my dorm

and my fraternal home so if I am going for chapter or something and I haven’t eaten yet I

usually go pick something up and go

M: Okay, so you are in a fraternity

R: Yes ma’am

M: And why did you decide to join a fraternity

R: I don’t know really, I came to school and I said I don’t want to be a frat guy but I hung out

with these guys for a few quarters before I joined and they seemed pretty cool and then mid

last quarter I decided to join

M: So is it just more of a fun thing for you or are there other reasons you like being in it also?

R: well it looks good on an application

M: And why is that important?

R: Well I am in pre-med and if you can find alum to shake your hand and help you find a job

then there it is

Interview 21 (2:02, Female, 4, ?)


2. A sense of accomplishment


R: Yes

M: How often do you eat it?

R: Probably like once a week


M: And when you do get fast food what are some of the main reasons why?

R: It’s cheap and it’s easy to get to and it’s fast

M: Okay so between cheap and convenient/fast which is most important to you?

R: Probably cheap

M: Okay and why is that most important to you?

R: Well I am an undergrad and I don’t have a lot of money to spend on food, I would like

to go somewhere else to eat, but the dollar menu always saves the day

M: I understand that, so if you did have more money, would you spend it on food or would

you use it differently?

R: I would eat somewhere differently

M: And, back to the convenient factor, why is it important to you that it’s convenient?

R: Because I have a schedule and classes and may only have an hour in between and I have

to go somewhere where they already have the food ready

M: Okay, and what do you study?

R: I am double majoring in psychology and biology

M: Why is important to you to study, to go to class, to go to college?

R: Well to go to college obviously to get a career started and you have to go to class to get

that degree

M: And why is it important to you to have a career?

R: So that I am not on the street or in my parents’ house when I am thirty





R: Yes

M: how often would you say you eat it?

R: maybe once a week


M: Okay, and when you do get it what are two or three of the main reasons why you do?

R: If I am out of groceries or if I am hung over and lazy

M: okay, so convenience then?

R: Yeah

M: Well why is it important to you that it’s convenient?

R: Because then it’s not hard I guess, I don’t have to cook at home

M: Well what other thing would you be doing with your time

R: Running errands or doing homework or going out with friends

M: Why are those things important to you?

R: Because it’s more fun and entertaining then making food at home (interesting we

don’t associate eating together, or making food together as a fun event)




M: Do you eat fast food

R: Yes

M: When you do eat fast food what are two or three main reasons why you do

R: Because it’s quick and I don’t have to cook and because I like the taste of it

M: Why is it important to you that it’s quick?

R: Because I don’t have a lot of time sometimes and I don’t always like cooking and it takes

a lot of time and I don’t want to do the dishes

M: Right, well you said you don’t usually have the time, what kind of other things are you

usually doing with your time?

R: Homework and classes and stuff and different groups that I am in I have a lot of

meetings

M: Okay, so you are involved in a lot then?

R: yes


M: Why is it important to you to be involved in school and those groups?

R: Because I want to be successful and I want to get a good job and getting involved in

stuff you know you find friends that you can hang out with





R: Rarely

M: When you do eat fast food what are the main reasons why?

R: Taste, it’s got that fatty substance, you know deep fried or whatever

M: And is taste the most important factor for you then?

R: Yeah

M: Why is taste important for you?

R: Well taste is somewhat important, it’s mostly about nutrition, I mean if I know what

is going into something I can at least imagine that I taste it, like if someone tells me that

this is a deep fried tomato I will imagine that it tastes acidy and deep fried and what

not, so I guess taste is important to me because of ingredients and its nutrition

M: So do you think with fast food you know the ingredients that are going into it, do

you have a good idea of what you are getting when you order something?

R: No, I just know that it’s bad and that it tastes good for that moment

Interview 25 (1:18, Male, 1,18)




R: Not really

M: What are some of the reasons why you don’t eat fast food then?

R: I guess just because it’s unhealthy really


M: Do you consider Quizno’s, Subway, Pita Pit or Jimmy John’s to be fast food?

R: I guess that is not really as much fast food because you can order something that is

pretty healthy as opposed to like Wendy’s or McDonald’s

M: So you associate fast food more with the health factor then?

R: Yeah

M: Okay, so do you go to some of those other, healthier places?

R: Yeah I would say I do

M: When you do go to one of those, what are some of the main reasons why you decide

to eat there?

R: I think it tastes better

M: So would you say that taste is the most important factor for you when you are

deciding where to eat?

R: Yeah it’s probably a combination of taste and whether or not it’s healthy

M: And why is taste important to you?

R: I guess it makes me feel good, it makes me happy, satisfying I guess



2. Self-fulfillment


R: Sometimes

M: And when you do eat fast food, and when I say fast food it includes Subway, PitaPit,

Jimmy John’s what are two or three of the main reasons why you do?

R: Because it has fat and fat tastes good, and because I get sick of the dining hall food,

and I don’t like to eat in the dining hall on Saturdays, so I go out to eat, and also just when I

am with friends the cultural thing to do is go out and eat


M: Okay so do you typically go to a fast food place with friends or to more of a sit down

restaurant?

R: Yeah typically fast food or like China King

M: So then am I hearing correctly that taste is the most important factor for you when picking

a food place?

R: Yes

M: Okay, and why is taste important to you?

R: Um because if something doesn’t taste good you are not going to want to eat it

Interview 27 (2:03, Female, Grad, 22)

1. Self-respect



R: Occasionally

M: And when you do eat fast food what are two of the main reasons why you do?

R: Mostly because I don’t feel like cooking or if it’s too late in the evening and I just want to

get something quick

M: Okay so convenient then?

R: Yeah

M: Why is it important to you that it’s convenient?

R: Just because it is, well umm I am usually really busy, I am a TA and I am also in ResLife,

so am always in my office and away from my apartment most of the time, so unless I

remember to take something out of the freezer, but I don’t eat fast food to often though, I am

usually pretty good about planning my meals.

M: Why is it important to you to be involved in so many things?


R: I like to stay busy, and I need my job to pay for school

M: What’s your major

R: I am in the Spanish master’s program

M: Well what made you want to get involved in that, or what do you hope to accomplish

with it?

R: Well I have been studying Spanish since the sixth grade and it felt natural to be a Spanish

major, and I did my undergrad here and Spanish was the only major that really stuck, so I

thought hey maybe there is something there, so ultimately I would like to work for the

government, in an embassy or something doing translations and interpretations

Can’t use this last part because I asked what she hoped to accomplish which predisposes her

towards the accomplishment value.



2. Self-fulfillment


R: Yes

M: When you do what are two of the main reasons why you decide to?

R: It’s quick and convenient


R: Laziness mainly, not wanting to make food

M: Okay, are there other things that you are usually doing with your time that you aren’t able

to, or you just don’t feel like cooking?

R: Sometimes I just don’t feel like cooking, or being at the library for a while studying

M: Okay, and what is your major?


R: Exercise physiology

M: What made you want to study at college and exercise physiology?

R: I have just always been interested in how the body works and exercise as well

M: And why is it important to you that you go to college and that you are studying this

major?

R: Umm, most of the jobs I have looked into doing you have to major in this, and a college

degree always helps with future jobs

M: Why is it important to you that you not just get a job, but a job in exercise physiology?

R: Because it would be working in the area that I enjoy working in





R: Not often

M: Do you consider a Quizno’s, Subway, or PitaPit to be fast food?

R: In some ways, I mean it depends on what you get, I mean it is food fast, but you can get

healthier things

M: Okay, so would you say you would eat there more often than your typical fast food like

McDonald’s

R: Yeah

M: And when you do go for fast food, fast service, what are the main reasons why you do

R: Short on time, and just want to get in and get out rather than just sit down somewhere

where it takes a while to get served


M: Right, I understand, and what kind of other things are you doing with your time that

necessitates the convenience?

R: A lot of it is school and work, it’s so time consuming, you focus less on eating, and you

should focus on eating healthy but sometimes that just comes last

M: Right, and what are you studying?

R: Education

M: And why is it important to you to go to school and to study?

R: Well I am working at a retirement home back home right now and I just see that if I were

to have to work there the rest of my life I would rather get an education and do something

that I love rather than something that I hate the rest of my life


1. Self-respect



R: No

M: Why don’t you eat fast food

R: It’s not good for you I guess, I dunno

M: Okay, and do you consider a Quizno’s or Subway or PitaPit to be fast food? Or a different

type of fast food?

R: Ummm I try to stay away from greasy food you could say

M: Well then would you say that you eat at those places then?

R: I would eat it but not on a regular basis

M: So would you say that health is an important factor for you then?

R: Absolutely


M: And why is that an important factor for you?

R: I like taking care of my body I guess

Interview 31( 1:29, Female, 4, 22)


2. Self-respect


R: Occasionally

M: When you do then what are two main reasons why you do?

R: Usually just because I am in a hurry or don’t have groceries

M: Okay, so because it’s convenient?

R: Yeah


R: It is important that it is convenient because I have limited time, if I don’t have time to

go get groceries and then come home and make food

M: I understand, what kind of other things are more pressing for your time?

R: Umm well like I take between 18 and 20 credit hours per quarter and those things are

usually what I have to do and that’s more important

M: And why is that important to you to do?

R: Because I need to graduate, because I need to get good grades so I need to go to class

and do the work that is required of me

M: I understand that, and what do you hope to have with that after? Why is it important to

get good grades to go to class


R: Well I need to get good grades because my parents pay for my school and if I don’t

they will stop, and it is important because I want to get into grad school, and I need to have

at least a 3.0 to get in so I can’t slack off





R: Yes

M: When you do what are one or two of the main reasons why you do?

R: Because it is convenient on Court St. and I don’t have time, pretty much the only reason

M: And what other things are you doing with your time that kind of necessitates that?

R: Well it’s that really inconvenient you only have 45 minutes between your classes and

it’s not really convenient to go to the dining hall where you might be able to get something a

little less fattening

M: Okay, and what’s your major?

R: Social work and women’s studies

M: And why is it important to you to go to school, to get an education?

R: So I can get a job some day

M: And what do you hope to have with that job, what does that mean to you, why is that

important to you?

R: Well I guess everyone needs to have a job, and also I guess everyone wants to think

that they are doing something to help the world around them, or affect the world in

some way


Interview 33 (1:30, Male, 4, ?)

1. Self-fulfillment



R: Yes

M: And what are the main reasons why you do?

R: It’s cheap and it’s fast and it’s just easy to get

M: Okay, so cheap and convenient then?

R: Yes

M: Out of those two which is most important to you?

R: Cheap


R: Because I am poor, although the convenience is a very close second there, they go hand

in hand

M: Okay, well if it wasn’t cheap would you still buy fast food?

R: No

M: Okay, so why is it important to you that it’s convenient?

R: Just the quickness of it, I can grab it on my way to class or in between classes if I don’t

have a long break

M: Okay and what do you study?

R: History

M: Why is it important to you to go to college and to study history?


R: Umm, well college, I entered college because it was what I was supposed to do, and I

was originally majoring in journalism because it was what I was supposed to do according

to a lot of people in my life, but I switched to history because it is what I want to do.

M: And is there anything you hope to do specifically with it after?

R: I want to teach



2. Self-respect


R: Yeah sometimes

M: Okay and when you do eat fast food, and by that I include a Subway, PitaPit, Quizno’s,

what are one or two of main reasons why you do?

R: I get a craving and I have to have it

M: So the taste?

R: Yeah, pretty much

M: Would you say when you are looking to eat something taste is the most important factor

for you

R: Umm yeah, probably important, you have to like it

M: So that is the main reason why you eat fast food then, or because it is handy or need to

grab something on the go, but mainly because it tastes good, I don’t really eat it often

R: Okay so how often in a week, or a month if that is more appropriate would you say you

eat fast food?

M: Umm, maybe like max three times a month

R: Alright, how would you say you view food, yourself, just in general, is there a particular

way you relate to it?


M: Ummm, I just, that’s a hard question, I guess I just view it as, I dunno

R: Like your connection to it, maybe some of your memories about how food was

approached with your family, how you approach it here

M: I mean here I just kind of eat as I feel like it I guess, I don’t know if that is the answer,

but I come from a big family, so you know every time there is a get together there is a lot

of food and we are all about it, you know we are a big Italian family, and there is a lot of

us and anytime we go to visit there is always a ton of food and everyone is just eating an

eating and eating

R: I understand that, I have a big family too

M: I mean it comes important I guess in my life because the way I was raised it was all

about food, so like when I have friends over I am like while let’s make snacks, you know

let’s eat and drink you know, so I guess it’s kind of important, I mean I always have food

close by, like right now I have yogurt and a granola bar and a 100 calorie pack in my

backpack even though I only have class for like 3 hours, just in case you know I don’t want

to be hungry, so I dunno, I think it is important definitely

Interview 35 (3:43, Female, 3, ?)

1. Self-respect



R: Yes

M: When you do what are one or two of the main reasons why you decide to?

R: Convenience definitely, I dunno and sometimes I just really want some McDonald’s fries

M: And why is it important to you that it’s convenient?

R: Because sometimes I just need something fast that is close because I have a class or a

meeting and I won’t have time for a sit down meal or to make a salad, and fast food is a lot

easier to just wrap back up and take with you if you are running late somewhere


M: I understand that, well, why is it important to you to go to school and to be involved in a

lot of things like you are?

R: Well, in terms of going to school you can’t really do much right now with a high school

diploma, and it’s getting to the point where you can’t really do much with a bachelor’s, and

so going to school for me has always been expected because I was intelligent enough and

always really focused, but really necessary now. And when it comes to being involved I

have always enjoyed community service and being around people and so that is a good way

for me to meet people and to give back, I know that is kind of cliché, but to give back

because I have been helped a lot. My biggest thing is tutoring, like over the summer I have a

job and am always tutoring kids that are under the reading and math level for their grade

because I have had a lot of help and I know that sometimes you just need that extra

motivation, or for someone to tell you that you can do this, even when you are having

trouble, I just think it is really important

M: And what is your major again?

R: Psychology and pre-physical therapy

M: Okay, and do you see a marriage between the things you talked about and what you want

to do in the future, and what do you want to do after this and why is that important to you?

R: Well I definitely plan on having a family, and that has always been a big thing for me and

I think that is because my family has always had a lot of conflict and we are not really close,

and I have a big family but I don’t know many of them for a variety of reasons, so I always

just wanted to create that family that I wanted, to give my kids things that I didn’t have

and to have that bond that I didn’t see with my parents who are divorced now, you

know, it has just been kind of unstable in terms of seeing that family life

M: And how do you see your education now playing into that?

R: Definitely my education will help support my family because we always had a lot of

trouble with money with my dad only having an associate’s degree, and my mom has a

bachelor’s degree but she got really sick so she can’t work anymore, and so by going to

school and getting a good job that will not only help by supporting my children and giving

them those opportunities that I didn’t have, but also to not have to worry so much, to not

have to have so much conflict in terms of how are we going to make it which sometimes

makes people but heads and blame one another and it just gets really complicated, and I

know money doesn’t solve everything, but it helps





M: How often in a typical week would you say you eat out?

R: Probably just like once or twice

M: And when you do what kind of places are you usually eating at?

R: Well my favorites are Jimmy John’s, Big Mama’s, and I guess Wendy’s

M: Okay so more or less fast food, fast service then?

R: Yes

M: With fast food what are two or three of the most important reasons, or just one, why you

eat there

R: Well I love the taste of Jimmy John’s, it’s just something that always keeps me coming

back, and I know I will enjoy it for the price, so yeah it has to taste good and be reasonably

priced, and quick food because I don’t have a lot of time

M: What kind of qualities or attributes do you feel make something taste good?

R: Well, I am not really to adventurous in my tastes. I don’t like to stray very far from the

typical American meal of like Turkey, bread, lettuce, tomatoes, you know everything that

comes on a custom sandwich is what I like, so it doesn’t need to be exquisite or new or

exciting but just a familiar thing

M: Okay, and you mentioned price, which any college student can relate to, and

convenience, so what kind of things are you doing with your time that necessitates that

convenience

R: I mean I literally have one or two hours between going to class, work or just hanging out

with my friends, so just being able to know that I can go in get my food, eat and still have

time to get to wherever I am going is really important

M: And why is it important to you, you mentioned going to school, work, and hanging out

with friends, what makes those kind of things important to you ?

R: My activities, well it’s my set schedule and I am in my last quarter here at school so I am

just trying not to mess up my grades or mess up anything I have going on with my work


because I don’t want to get fired 2 months before I graduate when I have been working there

for 3 years, so it is just routine habits that I do

M: Okay, and why is your routine and grades and work important to you?

R: Umm, I mean basically I messed up a lot my freshman and sophomore year so I am trying

to make my grades come up a little bit before I graduate to make myself more marketable

for the job industry

M: What kind of things are important to you about having a job, aside from you know

everyone has to have a job?

R: What’s important to me in a job?

M: Yeah, what is important for, why is that important to you?

R: I mean I work in dining services at the market and just having a decent amount of stock

that the students can actually purchase what they want, like I remember when I lived in the

dorms that is what I did, it is set up so that you spend your meals at the market, so I am just

trying to make it convenient and healthy and the well being of the place to be as high up

as I can because if it were me I would want someone to treat me that way


1. Self-fulfillment


M: How often do you eat out in a typical week?

R: Probably twice

M: And where do you usually eat when you do?

R: Usually once at a fast food place and another place will be a sit down with a friend

M: And when you eat at a fast food place what are two of the main reasons why you choose

to eat there?

R: Fast and cheap

M: Okay well why is it important to you that it’s fast

R: Well normally if I am eating at a fast food place it’s because I don’t have time to go home

and I am hungry and want food now and I don’t want to make it


M: Yeah I understand that. And what other things are you doing with your time to necessitate

that speed and convenience?

R: Probably between classes, otherwise I would just go home because I am close by

M: Why is it important to you then to go to classes, to do your work, to get an education

here?

R: Well for me personally I’m going to medical school so I needed to do well to get that

ultimate goal of getting the grades I needed to get into med school, and you have to go to

class to do that

M: Well why is it important to you to go to med school or be a doctor?

R: Umm, because I wanted to be in a profession that helps people but at the same time I

would stay in an academic environment and do research, so it kind of offers all of the

things that I really wanted to do: go to school, do research, and work with people and

not be isolated in a lab.


1. Fun, enjoyment and excitement in life

2. Self-respect


R: Maybe once

M: When you do where are you most often eating? What kind of places, like sit-down or

quicker service faster food places?

R: Definitely like faster service, rarely a sit-down

M: Okay, when you do go to a fast food place, what are two of the main reasons why you do?

R: I like the food, like normally I will get the same thing, and it’s healthier than the dining

halls, it’s hard to eat well in the dining halls

M: So would you say that taste and health are the main factors for you?

R: Yeah

M: Well what kind of things or qualities do you think make a meal or food taste good?


R: If it’s healthy, if its laden with grease it’s not good, even if it tastes good when I am

eating it I know it’s not, if it’s fresh definitely, you can tell the difference between fresh

food and stuff like that

M: And what kind of places up town do you usually eat at?

R: I usually eat at PitaPit, and I get the same thing pretty much every time

M: Okay, and why is it important to you to be healthy and eat well?

R: Well I mean our whole society is getting a little lackluster with everything, I mean I

know I do sometimes but it’s important to eat well right now so that when you are older and

less active you don’t turn into a fat blob that just sits around and watches T.V. all day, so it’s

important to be healthy now to make your bones and your body strong for when you

are older




M: How many times in a typical week would you say you eat out?

R: Probably four times a week

M: Okay and when you do what kinds of places are you usually eating at, like a sit down vs.

faster service/ fast food?

R: Usually like chipotle, or like a Mexican restaurant

M: Okay, are there any other fast food places that you eat at?

R: Yeah I definitely eat fast food every once in a while, I mean I try to stay away from it but

if it’s early morning and I am in a hurry and I just need to get some food I will go to Wendy’s

or something, I don’t like doing it but I have to sometimes

M: Would you say that the convenience factor is the main reason then?

R: Oh yeah definitely, convenience is the only reason

M: Okay, and why is it important to you that it’s convenient?

R: Just so I can get some food in me because I would rather have junk food in me than no

food

M: Well what kind of things are you doing with your time that necessitates the convenience?


R: Well I have a lot of work, I have two jobs right now and school, and then I am on the

men’s crew team so it just sometimes I don’t have enough time to go to the dining hall and

make myself a sandwich or sit down and have a good meal, you know I just have to run to

fast food and grab something unhealthy

M: Well why is it important to you to be involved in so many things?

R: I just like to stay busy, if I am sitting around not doing anything I just feel sluggish

and I don’t like the way I feel so I like to get out and enjoy the nice weather we have been

having

M: Okay, and why exactly is that important to you?

R: I dunno, I really couldn’t give you a good answer to that because my friends ask me the

same thing all the time. They always tell me that I am just doing too much but I like being

busy, I like having stuff to do, I like being involved. I just got out of the military and I

promised myself I would just not do anything so I think that has a big influence on it too



2. Security


R: Do you mean like uptown or like…?

M: Just away from home

R: Like not in my dorm?

M: Yeah

R: In a week you said

M: Yes

R: Um like 4 or 5 times probably

M: Okay and when you do is it more of a sit-down place or a quick service?

R: Quick service

M: And why is it important to you that the service is quick?

R: So that you can like not waste your time and get where you need to go as fast as

possible


M: What other things are you doing with your time that necessitates the convenience?

R: If I am going to class or work

M: Okay, and why is it important to you to go to class, to work, to get an education, why is

that important to you?

R: So that I have a good career and to make money in the future and have a sustainable

job




M: How often in a typical week do you eat out?

R: three, I mean I have a meal plan so I go to the dining hall

M: Not including the dining hall

R: Okay, three then

M: And when you do is it typically a sit down place or quicker service place?

R: Quicker service place like subway

M: And why is it important to you that it’s a fast food place

R: I dunno, I guess it’s not important that it is a fast food place but it’s just like why would I

go sit down at Steven’s to get a meal by myself, I dunno

M: True, yeah it’s more acceptable to just grab something by yourself

R: Yeah

M: Okay well what are one or two of the most important attributes for you then of a fast food

place

R: Speed, I am an impatient person and when I am hungry I am even more impatient

M: Okay well why is it important to you that it’s fast other than if you were really really

hungry?

R: Umm I dunno like I never really thought about it, it’s just convenient, like right now I am

going to go grab some food real quick at the dining hall and then go to my room and start

studying


M: Okay so you have other things to do with your time like studying then?

R: Yeah

M: Well why is it important to you to study and get an education?

R: I dunno, I try not to think about that, but I guess because I need to get degrees, and get

really smart, and get a good job, and raise a family and support that family

M: Okay and why is that important to you?

R: I don’t want to work in a fast food restaurant or a kitchen for the rest of my life,

because I mean realistically I could probably drop out of school and find a job at home and

live with my parents and live off that but I dunno

M: Okay well why do you care to be here then, why is it important to you to not end up like

that?

R: I mean I like getting an education like learning for pleasure, like my dad went to college

and that is just today’s world, you have to get an education to do anything, I mean even

now you have to get your master’s not just your bachelor’s you know the world is changing

M: But is that important to you because it feels natural, because you want to provide for

yourself in a certain way, because…

R: Yeah Yeah, that is exactly it I don’t want to be dependent on my parents for my whole

life so this is what I have to do if I want to be on my own I guess


1. Self-respect



R: Not in the dining halls?

M: Not in the dining halls.

R: Once

M: Okay and when you eat out is it usually a sit down place or a quicker service place?

R: Quicker service

M: What are one or two qualities or attributes of fast food that are important to you, why you

go there.


R: Because they are quick and lighter, I don’t like really heavy food

M: Well why is it important to you that it’s quick?

R: I am busy and I have a lot to do so I like to grab it on my way

M: What kinds of other things are you doing with your time?

R: School and hobbies, I dance so I have that, and friends

M: Well why is it important to you to get an education

R: Because I want to be a teacher and I have to to do that

M: Okay, why do you want to be a teacher

R: Because I have felt like since I was in first grade that I wanted to and I think it is

something that I can do well and I have always wanted to


1. Self-respect



R: Twice

M: And when you do is it more of a sit down place or a fast food place, which includes a

Jimmy John’s, Quizno’s, PitaPit

R: Fast food

M: What are one or two of the main reasons why you choose to eat there?

R: I get bored with the food I am eating I guess

M: Well since you said normally it is a fast food, are there reasons like taste, price,

convenience that you choose to eat at the places you do?

R: Probably like price and taste

M: And between price and taste which is more important to you

R: It depends I guess if I have enough money at the time I will probably eat something

that tastes better and is more expensive

M: Right which usually goes hand in hand


R: Yeah, money willing I would probably choose taste

M: Okay, and what kind of attributes or qualities do you think make a meal taste good?

R: Fresh, I like a lot of vegetables so if they taste fresh and crunchy



2. Sense of belonging


R: Like eat out other than a dining hall?

M: Yes

R: Probably maybe once or twice

M: Okay, and when you do is it normally at a sit down place or a quicker service fast food

place?

R: Quick service

M: Okay, and what kind of attributes are important to you, why do you choose to eat at those

places?

R: Probably health wise

M: Okay so what kind of places do you usually go to uptown

R: Usually subway or PitaPit, those are probably the only town places that I ever eat

M: Why is it important to you that it’s healthy?

R: From the standpoint that I have to keep this body good

M: Why is that important to you?

R: Got to get the babes and that is important to me because I like girls






R: Probably like once a week

M: And when you do are you normally going to a sit down place or more of a quick service

fast food place?

R: Usually fast food, like Wendy’s or something uptown

M: When you do eat fast food what are two of the main reasons why you choose to?

R: Either I am bored of dining hall food or it’s just quick and convenient if I am up on

Court Street and am hungry at the time

M: Well why is it important to you that it is quick and convenient?

R: Usually because my days are really busy so I usually don’t have time for a sit down meal,

if I have time for that I will usually go to a dining hall because it takes more time, but it I am

running from class to class it’s just easier to pop into the fast food and get out

M: Yeah I can relate to that. Why is important to you to go to school and classes

R: To get a degree and to graduate into a good job mainly

M: And why is it important to you to have a good job, or what does having a good job mean

to you?

R: It means security, not having to worry about the future. I figure if I put in the time now

then I won’t have to deal with all of the searching for a job frantically in the future, so it is

just doing the best I can do now so I don’t have to worry about it in the future


Appendix F:

Characteristics of Fast Food Consequences


Appendix F: Characteristics of Fast Food Consequences

Listed below are detailed characteristics of the consequences respondents associated with the fast

food attribute, ―fast and convenient.‖

Time (7)

More time to study

More time to work

More free time

Get to a certain location on time

Less effort (8)

No cooking / clean-up required

Laziness

More Responsible (9)

Go to class / work

Get good grades

Graduate

Keep busy

Involvement in school, work, or other social activities

Appearances / Look Good (10)

Job applications

Being on time is a sign of respect

Impress others

Fit-in socially

Acceptable to eat alone

Please others, it is what is expected by others

Social thing to do with friends

Physical appearances (in relation to Subway and Pita Pit)

Better Future (12)

Graduate with a degree

Get a better job


Appendix G:

Numerically Formatted Ladders


Appendix G: Numerically Formatted Ladders

The table below shows the numerically formatted ladders for the 36 usable interviews.

the industrial eater: an exploration into … exploration into the underlying values motivating...

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